Chemical Substance
by hitori.no.boku
Summary: She could bring the heavens crashing down with one kiss, a goddess in a desolate land. He was her most devout worshipper and from someone so divine, rewards were always sweet. *Warning*: sexual themes, shotacon. *On Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Love is a Riddle

* * *

_To me, she was an angel. I'd never known anyone so…majestic_

_I was just nine years old at the time, and I could never find the right words to say to her, to describe how I felt._

_And when I tried to ask her to give me the right words, she'd send me on a wild chase._

_She always said it was something elusive. Something invisible, unseen to the naked eye. I'd always ask her what, but she would just smile with a shrug of her shoulders. I'd keep pestering her, begging her to give me a hint. And she gave me many. I'd hang on every word she spoke, listening with fervor, memorizing every move she made. She'd always start out by saying it was a little like a narcotic effect. I'd just stare, eyes wide and mouth agape. She'd laugh, eyes twinkling in mirth. Then she'd beckon me closer and I would lean in and her soft, melodic voice would ring in my ear,_

"_It touches your soul…"_

_Then she'd send me home to stew over her words. I'd ponder about them for days, mind working to unravel the mystery of her statements. My peers often wondered what was going through my mind at that age, but I never bothered them with my ideas, much less my problems. They didn't know me, and their parent despised me, so as a result they feared me. They hated me enough._

_So I'd go run to the park and sit among the flowers or sit on the balcony of my apartment and think. I'd spend hours staring at the clouds, the sky, the trees, anything to do with nature, pondering the right word. I was just a child, albeit a lonely one, how was I to know the answer was so simple? _

_I'd be back to her the next day, beleaguering her and breaking down her defenses with my heartbreaking, haunted looking eyes. She'd always cave in when she saw them, saying they reminded her of when she was young. I'd never press her further for an answer, instead tackling the mystery statements again. She'd laugh, her wet hair glistening in the light as she stared at me._

_I was a peculiar child. I looked older than I actually was, and had the mentality of one many years older than myself. I was unnaturally tall for my age, rapidly approaching ten and already a solid figure. She didn't have to lean down far to look me in the eyes. _

_She'd watch me for a few moments, soft, chocolate colored eyes directing their warm gaze toward me. Those hypnotizing eyes would linger for a little. She'd shift a stray strand of ebony hair out of her eyes, and then she'd move away from the sink, lean down, pink tongue wandering across her lips and whisper,_

"_It drowns you in warmth and once you get some, you will never get enough…"_

"…_It washes over your body and envelops you…and soon you become addicted…"_

_And she was right._

_

* * *

_

The trees shifted as the last of the wind died down. A few leaves floated through the orange and red tinted skies, straight from the canopies of the trees, each leisurely taking their time on the descent down. Darkness had begun to creep like a phantom into the day, casting its inky color across the skies.

The day was ending and the scattered shadows of trees played across the road, spreading out across the expanse, shading the face of a young, blonde haired child.

He wandered down the street, a confused look plastered across his lightly tanned features. Touching blue-eyes glowed in the dusk, setting sun illuminating the cerulean orbs. His blonde locks swished as he walked, bouncing up and down on his head with each step. He kept in line; step after step aimed forward, the massive cream-colored compound behind him fading into the distance.

The young blonde touched his cheek absently, fingers tracing across the whisker-like marks etched there, brow scrunched in confusion. His clothes hung loosely from his ever-growing frame, shifting as he walked. They were ragged and tattered, a product of his steady beatings and lack of funds. His skin was tanned all over and developing muscles, a result of constant traveling around the village, rippled slightly in the shadows of the dying day.

He was a quiet child, quite the opposite of most children his age. When he spoke, his voice sounded raw, unused, as if unsure of what to actually say. He was young, so very young, yet so in tune with the world around him. He had lost his innocence in this world long ago. It was not rare to see him sitting in silence, just staring into the distance. He spoke aloud to himself in a soft, fallow voice, pondering, his mind working ceaselessly,

"It touches your soul? What can do that…? How can something…go that deep?"

His mind wandered.

His eyes sparkled.

His mouth twitched.

Naruto traveled down the street, blue eyes glinting in wonder. The dreary buildings around him passed away without a second glance, his brain only registering the surroundings before returning to the matter at hand. He turned a corner, his head still tilted down in deep thought.

He was nearing his apartment. He could tell. The streets were slop, grass grew on the sidewalks and the dull, gray colored apartments sagged in their foundations. Multi dyed graffiti plagued the walls of the few stores still left. This district was barely inhabited, people leaving the meager living conditions for better opportunities. There was nothing now, just the scattered street gang or two, accompanied by the man too old to leave or the odd shinobi here or there.

But just farther down the street was a market district and a little beyond a main residential area. Everything there was seemingly like a whole new world compared to the poor conditions of his neighborhood. There were bright lights, laughing crowds, lovely stores. It was a paradise. The prosperous environment of that area was like a fairy tale straight out of a book.

He passed a few more houses, his ragged shoes carrying him deeper into the dangerous neighborhood in which he lived.

The confused expression on his face faded away, replaced by one of deep sadness. Naruto's azure eyes clouded over, turning gray like a rainy day.

'…I just wish…'

It was just a few blocks away now and he would home. His mouth crinkled into a frown. Home. He would never be able to truly call that…place he lived in home. It didn't feel like home. But then again, he had never really had a home, so he probably wouldn't know.

'…It could be…'

Was it supposed to feel sterile? Was it supposed to feel barren? Lifeless? It was empty, four walls surrounding the small living space. Sparse furniture. A bed. An icebox, a drawer, shower and a lamp or two. Nothing fancy, certainly nothing expensive. After this, nothing. Nothing decorated the walls of his apartment; there was nothing on the floor except parts of carpet. Nothing. It was the same everyday… Just the same… No one really cared… After all…he was just…Naruto.

White.

Plain.

Cold.

Empty. Ghostly. Deathly. Dark. So many words…just so many words…to describe his apartment.

He shivered involuntarily.

He'd never imagined a home would feel this way. He'd always imagined a home…to be more like **hers**.

Warm.

Colorful.

Comforting.

Lively.

Her house was everything he wished **his** could be. Whenever he was there, it was just ecstasy in its purest form. Everything was just so…wonderful and it filled him with warmth just to be in her presence.

His footsteps were heavy on the gravel beneath him and his shoulders were hunched, appearing to have the whole weight of the world planted firmly on them. His footfall increased, strides taking him closer to his apartment.

The wind picked up, breeze rushing through his blonde hair. His keen nose picked up the heavy smell of ramen and his mouth creased into a small smile. Ramen never ceased to cheer him. His stomach growled a little, expressing its need for food. He was nearing Ichiraku's Ramen Shop now. Naruto knew this are by heart.

It was just across the next few streets and into the market district. He could go straight to his apartment or he could detour and head to the old man's store. He reached into his pocket, fingers seeking to grab the few bills he had. They gripped thin air and then he hesitated and plunged farther down. His fingers brushed a few jingling coins. Realization struck and his smile faded rapidly, replaced by his customary apathetic facade and sad, sad eyes.

'…Just wish it could be….'

Not enough.

Never enough.

No matter how many times…

Just never enough.

Just an illusion.

His heart folded.

Who was he kidding?

'…Just a little different…'

Naruto blinked back the tears that he felt well up deep within him. It looked like he'd be heading straight to his apartment today. He took one last yearning glance down the long street and turned, heel spinning in the gravel beneath. His eyes watered but he fought back the liquid threatening to spill out. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets and felt the fabric rip. His fists clenched and he took his rough hands out. The rhythm of his step became sluggish and tired and his worn out shoes dragged against the road beneath him.

No money.

No food.

Nothing today.

Maybe tomorrow.

'…How come…?'

The sun fell behind faraway hills. The shadowy outline of his figure faded away down the street and as if following him, the wind blew. Dying petals hovered in the breeze, scattering across the path in front of him. Behind, the trees whispered and the dust on the roads was kicked up. The surroundings were silent.

Night fell.

His footsteps echoed in the quiet.

Naruto's form died away in the dark.

No hope.

'…Why…?'

* * *

_Just an innocent nine year old. I was naïve to the…pleasures of the world. I remember that day clearly, vividly and it will remain fresh in my mind. After all, how can I forget my first encounter with 'it'? That day would be the first turning point in my life._

_I hadn't realized what 'it' was at the time and as I look back, I can't believe how much of an idiot I was. I'd gone over to her house again, eager to receive another clue or tip-off to the riddle of words I was working on. By then I think I had forgotten the real reason I wanted to find out the perfect word…the perfect word to describe how I felt. I had become completely infatuated with her and just wanted to be in her company._

_Entering the Uchiha compound had been a breeze, easiest thing in the world. I'd only done it about a thousand times…_

_I carefully maneuvered my way through the streets of the massive compound, jumping with excitement at the prospect of being with her again. Throwing caution to the wind, I rushed out in the empty lane before me, eyes alight with anticipation._

_As I walked through the door of her house I was washed in the pungent, overwhelming smell of alcohol. Being the child I was, I paid no heed to the scent._

_Naively I went on, slowly crossing the hard wood floor of the complex, just a little bit of worry clouding my thoughts, fervently searching for her._

_I got more than I bargained for._

_

* * *

_

A few citizens greeted him, already familiar with the sight of the energetic blonde boy running down the street. They were fair individuals, not blinded by the ever-present prejudice of the world. And he thanked them for that. They were few…so very few.

The dust flew up all around, casting its fine layers of sand and debris into the air. Fast footfall echoed through the compound grounds.

Naruto rushed through the empty streets, feet carrying him as fast as they could. His mouth was wide, joy plastered all across his features. His eyes were alight with happiness, blue orbs sparkling wildly in the sun.

His hand gripped the door and slid it open. The loud bang echoed through the empty building. His eyes wandered for a moment and then he stepped through the threshold.

Naruto hesitated. His body halted, something telling him to stop.

His nose twitched, an oddly familiar smell reaching his senses.

It was pungent, strong, wafting through the doorway as soon as it opened. A smell so common in the red-light districts. Naruto mentally decided that it didn't belong in her house. It just didn't fit. It didn't fit her…her…the way she talked…walked…

It didn't fit.

The smell overwhelmed and his brain struggled to comprehend.

Naruto realized it was sake. Massive amounts of it.

He froze and his body fell limp. His clothes rustled a little, feet hitting solid wood, bouncing a bit from the force of the impact.

The house was deathly quiet. Usually she was around at this time, making something in the kitchen or in the living room reading.

Something was off.

The coppery smell. The tang that accompanied the odor of sake. It was familiar, so familiar. He really should have recognized it right away. So many constant wounds, constant beatings, constant lynching. He should have known.

Was that…blood?

His features turned feral.

Had someone hurt her?

Was she in danger?

His mind went into overdrive.

All logic he possessed was thrown out the window.

His blue eyes flashed dangerously.

His mouth curled into a snarl.

Without a sound he slid down the hallways, hunched over, eyes scanning the objects in his way.

No sign of Mikoto.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins.

Like a predator seeking its prey, he stalked through the silent house, listening, waiting and watching. If something had happened to Mikoto, he would never forgive himself.

If she was hurt…if she was in pain…he'd kill whoever did it to her.

She was that precious to him.

He mentally mapped out the house in his head, the gears in his brain stretching out to begin work. There was the first and second floor, the garden, the basement and finally, the only room of importance, the master bedroom…her room.

He skipped the second floor entirely, not bothering to see anything up there. She was never up on the second floor…it was like…she refused to set foot there. He had already covered most of the first floor. It was cold this time of the year, so she wouldn't be out in the gardens…

That left her bedroom.

His feet barely touched the ground as he sprinted out of the kitchen and into the hall.

It was like…he had wings…

'I'm coming Mikoto-san…please be alright…'

* * *

_Finally reaching the door of her massive room, I tapped lightly on the polished wood surface. My body was coiled, ready to spring if I saw an intruder. All I got was a muffled groan as a response. Taking stupidity to new heights I slipped through the slightly ajar door, worried out of my mind. I feared the worst, feared that something had happened to her._

_As I stepped into the shadows of the dimly lit room, silky, feminine arms wrapped around me from behind. I tensed from the contact. A soft, small hand wandered slowly on my chest, fingers dancing here or there for a few seconds, as if exploring a new concept. Hot breath traveled across my body, slowly inching up the base of my neck toward my ear. Another hand wandered across my face, paused, and then stroked my cheek, caressing my hot flesh._

_I didn't dare to move, already familiar with the concept of being captured and beaten. I really had no idea who it was or what they were going to do. You can imagine my relief when I heard her voice._

"_Relax Naruto-chan…"_

_I just fell limp in her arms, feeling the anxiety melt away from my emotions. _

_"Naruto-chan…have you figured out the riddle yet?"_

_I don't really remember what I had said. I think all my mind processed was the alcohol tainting her once fresh breath and the fact that her hand was slowly inching under my shirt._

"_Poor Naru-chan…if you never figure out the riddle…you'll never have any…"_

_I just remained relaxed in her grasp, trusting that she would never harm me. She was my angel…_

_"But Mikoto-san…what are you talking about? Are you okay?"_

_I heard her sigh. And it wasn't the normal sigh she usually used. A sigh of just being tired. This was a long drawn out sigh, a depressed sigh is the best I can describe it. Her gripped slacked around me and for a moment I thought she was going to let me go. _

_She began to speak, but her voice faltered. In the same moment her smooth hands clasped around me tighter, gripping me as if their fate depended on it. I felt her chin come to rest on my shoulder and could feel her hot breath on my neck._

_Her hand stopped its movement under my shirt, hovering momentarily over the skin, brushing lightly against it, tickling me. I waited for her answer amid the heavy breathing and silence. Another sigh came from her mouth and she spoke, a soft whisper reaching my ears, shaking me to the core,_

"_I'm alright Naruto-chan…I'm alright…it's just sometimes…I'm so tired and…sometimes…sometimes…I wish it were different…"_

_There was silence from her after that and I didn't know what to say. The pungent smell of sake still wafted around me, but I ignored it, mind working to unravel her words. As I look back, I realize during our conversation and my first experience with 'it', she probably was a little bit drunk. _

"_I'll be different…I'll make both of us different…"_

_At the time I didn't really know what she meant, but I was willing to do anything to help her…_

_

* * *

_

AN: tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Explicit Desires

* * *

_As a child, one is not expected to know much. They are supposed to be naive to the world, innocent beyond any description possible. They are supposed to be blind to the horrors of society, oblivious to the ill will that hides in the shadows. They are supposed to be shielded from people who used others like paraphernalia, people with schemes, dreams and lies to sell. Children are not supposed to know the hidden pleasures that lurk in the darkness, the addicting feel of lust, or carnal pleasures._

_Normal children are apparently not supposed to know any of it._

_I was an exception I guess. Not only had my life been one filled with blood, murder, betrayal and deceit, from my ninth birthday on, it slowly became one filled with more…explicit desires…_

_Like a drug, a very potent drug. It hooked me, pulling me in and dosed me. And I was addicted. My first encounter had left me craving for more._

_So, at the time I was lost for words. Nothing. Nothing was coming to mind. I shouldn't have expected anything. How was my young, feeble brain supposed to comprehend the complexity of what was going on around me? How was I supposed to understand the meaning behind what was happening? How was I supposed to understand the message within her words?_

_So there I was, hanging limply in her grasp, the feeling of her body against mine. I don't remember much about that moment. I was still trying to process the fact that that she was slowly licking my neck. Her tongue, flickering out of her mouth, caressing my flesh, dipping across my skin, climbing to the sensitive whisker marks on my face. Licking them. I felt my legs go weak, giving out from underneath me._

_I shivered and I could feel her grin. Looking back now, I know she loved it. Loved bringing me to my knees. But at the time I didn't care._

_Ecstasy. That was the feeling. Utter ecstasy. I was on cloud nine. I didn't care what she did, as long as she didn't stop. I think I said it out loud too, for the moment the thoughts had passed across my mind; her ministrations had gone into over drive. I guess what they say is true, watch your thoughts, because your thoughts become words._

_Caressing, Touching. Teasing. Squeezing. Her feather light stroke and her warm, supple lips had passed across my exposed skin. Her pink tongue had flicked across my earlobe and she nibbled. It was taking advantage of me. __**She**__ was taking advantage of me. Taking advantage of a poor boy, one that had no physical contact his whole life. But I didn't mind. Not at that moment. I was lost to bliss. To one such as myself, it was unbelievable. _

"_Please…"_

_Over the course of our session my words slowly began to manifest. It was to be expected. She was enough to drive any man crazy. Slowly but surely, my words became actions._

_

* * *

_

Darkness engulfed the chamber, shadows reaching even the farthest corners of the bedroom. There was no light, just inky blackness, shadows moving around one another, faintly outlined shapes visible in the unlit space. There was no sight, but there was sound.

Whispers, groans, gasps, murmurs. Laughs, whimpers, crooning, purring. An orchestra of passion. A concert that echoed through the room with the fervor of a church choir. The only attendees being an underage boy and an attractive married woman, both lost to their own sounds and senses.

But sound could not describe his feelings. It could never come close, never come close to the pure energy that was infused in touch.

Her fingers, her soft, warm caress on his body. Her lips, sliding delicately across his skin, kissing, biting.

His breathing was shallow, coming quickly, ever so quickly. His face was flushed red, a small surprised expression etched onto his angular features. He tried to say something, tried to open his mouth in protest. He managed a weak hum, but nothing more. His heart and mind conversed with each other, arguing in loud voices about their position. His mind fought, urging him to be rational, to think clearly. It was no use. His heart yearned, called out, agony ever present in its pained cries. It was telling him it was all right. Telling him to give in.

And he did. He gave in, the feeling in his heart overriding all common sense. The longing that he'd felt for his whole life finally taking over.

He gave in, with pleasure.

Her lips. Her tongue. Her hands. Caressing. Loving. Touching. Tender. Gentle. Like a static shock through his mind, a shot of rapture flowing through his veins. It made him feel…alive. It enticed him, drew him in, made him feel like…a new person…

He'd never experienced a feeling like this before, a feeling so raw, so unbridled. He'd never experienced lust in its purest but softest form. She was driving him over the edge. Slowly, slowly, slowly. The pace was set, but increasing. Her fingers, her lips, her body. They all took on a new level, a new tempo.

Naruto gasped, his rough, developing voice rasping out in the silence.

Mikoto laughed, the soft bell like quality echoing into the darkness.

Her tongue ran across his cheek, leisurely climbing, taking its place upon his burning scarlet whisker marks. Her tongue flicked across the three indentations. He shivered, a deep, uncontrolled purr issuing from the depths of his throat. She licked again. His legs went weak. She brought him to his knees, fingers dancing across his bare chest.

Sensual seduction.

She paused, her whole body stopping their actions, her ministration of the young boy halting completely. Teasing. She waited, her breath stroking the width of his neck. She played with his locks, twirling them in her fingers, caressing the silky blonde hair. She waited for it. Waited for those words.

The art of seduction. She used it well, bending his will to her command. The young were so easy…

"Don't…"

Naruto fell. Her touch was like electricity, a burning, a surge that passed through his small frame, giving him life. He was like a machine and her touch like the battery. He needed it to function…needed to it love… A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Please…"

She got to her knees, her skin sliding against the cold floor. Her hands worked once again touching, teasing. They danced across his skin, feather light strokes melting his concerns away, drowning him in their tantalizing poison.

"Don't stop…"

That was all it took. His words condemned him to eternal bliss. An age of pleasure. An era of desire derived from the lust of one woman.

She spun him around, taking great measure to remember the glazed look strewn on his face. Mikoto smiled, her lips parting, showing her pink tongue clenched lightly between her luminescent white teeth.

She leaned forward, nose brushing the blonde's cheek, eliciting a slight shiver from the boy. One hand traveled behind him, slinking up and burying itself into the thick locks of blonde hair perched atop his head. The other glided forward, gently curling around Naruto's jaw.

Their eyes locked. Sparkling azure melding its gaze with charcoal black.

Her lips crossed near his own, tongue caressing his flesh. His world exploded as her lips capturing his. The sensation was unbearable, the tickling breath, the moist touch. Pleasure beyond words. His lips parted, a groan sliding out smoothly from confines his mouth. Her tongue snaked in, quickly taking advantage of the situation. It twisted, turned, massage his tongue, swirled within his mouth.

Their hands touched, their fingers twisting around each other's. She pressed forward, deepening the kiss, taking it to new heights. A new level of passion. A burning. A longing. She felt it all in the kiss. And she returned it with full force.

They became one in the darkness.

Her robe slipped off, it's silky substance drifting to the floor, the glow of her body attracting undivided attention.

His shirt was kicked away, lost amid the unlit crevices of the room.

Their bare skin touched and they slowly became lost in the fantasies of their own worlds.

One born from that of desire and rejection.

And one from that of acceptance and acknowledgement.

* * *

"_Please…"_

_I had whispered it, moaned it, and groaned it. I had uttered those words every possible way. I had conveyed my love over and over and over again. Countless times. So many, I can't remember. I loved it. I was infatuated with it. Addicted would be the right word. I was addicted to her attention, her touch, the reaction of warmth that possessed my body when I was near her._

_I needed it._

_I needed her._

_I __**longed**__ for her._

_She enticed me, her body moving and weaving in ways that would leave any man a witless, gawking fool. And I was just a child. Her power over me was more than that of anything in the world. To me, she could stop time with just a raise of her eyebrow. She could bring the world to her beck and call with the mere lick of her lips. She could leave me begging for more, head bowed, positioned on my hands and knees. She could bring the heavens crashing down with one kiss. She was a goddess in a desolate land._

_I was her most devoted worshipper._

_As a child, there was never a more enjoyable moment than having all eyes on you. There was never a more shocking feeling that being acknowledged for the first time. I can't deny the fact that I basked in her attention, taking great care to record and file every moment in her presence in the back of mind._

_She took care of me, watched for me, and loved me. She was everything I had never had; yet everything I had always dreamed of. She took the place of all the needs in my life. She bestowed upon me something that gave me the ability to keep going, to never waver._

_Love. It was a concept I was unfamiliar with. A concept so foreign to me, so…alien. But I soaked it up, greedily guzzling up the attention like a man in need of water._

_It was something I desperately needed._

_And something I found in her._

_I was foolish though, very foolish. So caught up in my own world, I didn't think of the consequences. I didn't think of…the reaction to our…relations. I could blame it all on Mitoko, but I was at fault as well. If she hadn't desired, hadn't enticed…if I hadn't been tempted, if I hadn't been seduced…_

_If, if, if…_

_

* * *

_

The sun hung high overhead, blazing yellow orb sitting on its throne in a blue lit sky. The trees shifted, as if agitated by the number of projectiles that riddled their massive trunks. The breeze was slight, rocking the lazily drifting leaves through the air, until senbon roughly impaled them into the dirt. The steel glinted in the light, metallic surfaces gleaming dully.

More weapons barreled out from the shadow, lithe, perfectly crafted forms speeding through the air at speed unfathomable to the naked eye. They thudded into painted targets, small, miniscule circled barely the size of a small coin. Kunai, senbon, dart. Each and every weapon hit dead center, buried halfway into the wood, some even going through their targets.

A hand snaked toward them, fingers outstretched to retrieve the projectiles. It emerged from the shadows of the trees, a healthy tan burned onto its skin. The senbon were flipped over, sharp needles folding into the partially gloved hand. Slowly the hand, wrenching kunai from their deep positions within the bark of the massive behemoths towering above, disappeared into the shadows.

There was a little clanging as they joined their unused comrades inside a few weapon pouches. Slowly the user of the projectiles stepped into the light, ANBU mask covering his face. The sun beat down on him, rays sinking into his black clothed figure.

Slowly his hand inched up to the mask stuck onto his face. His fingers grasped the porcelain, gripping tightly. There was slight hiss as the mask was released, chakra diffusing from his skin.

He brushed the sweat out of his eyes, ANBU mask clutched firmly in the leather fabric of his gloved fingers. His blood red eyes scanned the training field, three tomoe circling around a pitch-black pupil, looking for any sign of missed weaponry. His black braid shifted in the light breeze. He dropped his mask, hanging it on the edge of his utility belt. Sighing, he closed his eyes, re-opening them to reveal plain, ebony colored irises.

"Itachi!"

He turned, his casual position now facing the masked shinobi sitting on the log across the training field. The man's silver hair defied gravity, sticking straight up, unbothered by the light breeze. His dog mask was laced lazily across the top of his face, hanging off by a thread of chakra, brushing the cloth facemask underneath.

"You're done now. Training is over."

The man stood, stretching his stiff limbs, a yawn wafting out from his open mouth.

"You should go log your hours now and then head home. Don't train past your limits."

He turned, grabbing the few scrolls lying around his feet, his movements lazy and unconcerned. Still gathering his articles he spoke to Itachi.

"You should go see your mother. It's been what? A month? She'll be happy, after a month anyone would be."

He stood from his crouched position, shoulders slumping.

"Well, I have to go file a report. Get some rest."

Itachi nodded, watching his captain languidly fix his mask back into place.

"Hai, taichou."

The man disappeared, not a trace of his presence left except for the slight indentations in the grass below. Itachi sighed, reaching a hand up to rub his strained eyes, fingers dipping below to the crows feet underneath. The breeze picked up falling leaves, swirling them around his prone form. He looked around the secluded training area, making sure he had not forgotten anything. ANBU would steal it and never return it if he did. They might've been shinobi, but they weren't honest. Deception was their specialty and anything that he misplaced would be lost to him for eternity.

Spinning on his heel he began to walk away, feet crunching across the fallen leaves in his path. He'd been on a mission for a month, A-class, recon and infiltration. He was dead tired, his body having been pushed past his physical and mental limits.

He needed to go home. He needed rest and he needed it badly. It felt like he was going crazy.

He kept walking, his steps methodical and paced, each measured to maximize ability. Soon he found himself at a crossroad, one path toward ANBU headquarters, a rather non-descript building and one toward the heart of the village. Toward home. He hesitated, his sense of authority warring his longing to see home again. He took a step.

The wind swirled around, kicking up the dust at the fork in the road.

The world passed by in a blur. Shunshin was a priceless technique.

Itachi looked up at the massive fan situated over the compound, its red and white enamel shining in the light of the sun.

'Home…'

He passed through the doorway; his shinobi sandals already nestled in their place near the entrance. His footsteps echoed through the compound, an eerie silence permeating the wood floored rooms. He kept walking, a nagging feeling at the back of his mind threatening to break loose.

Something was wrong.

There was something off, something foreign about the compound.

It was blatantly obvious. Even an amateur shinobi would have detected something wrong.

But he was far from amateur. He was a prodigy, a shinobi of a different caliber.

He knew something was wrong and he could pinpoint it.

A foreign presence.

And then there was that scent. That overwhelming scent of expensive alcohol and another scent, darker, fuller. An underlying scent that hid behind the taint of alcohol. It was a scent he had come to recognize and understand. Blood.

His sharingan flickered into existence.

And there was something else. Something so…small. Almost un-noticeable. A human presence, obviously someone who was skilled at infiltration and concealment.

'A professional then…'

His feet carried him into the hallway. His heart beat quickened, pulse skyrocketing in his concern. He quickly quelled his emotions, taking control of his body, refusing to allow his emotions time to reign. Search and destroy was his mission now. His family would not be harmed, much less his mother.

He approached his parent's room, ignoring the rustling emitting from the depths of the dark room. His shinobi senses were on overdrive and the safety of his family took priority at the moment. Itachi's feet made no sound as the slid across the dark oak floors, slowly and cautiously approaching the bedroom.

His katana slid from its sheath, burnt black blade almost invisible as it followed his slow slinking pace through the shadows. It fell into his hand, and his fingers curled around the ray-skin that was wrapped around the iron hilt.

He was in front of the door and he could hear a whimper, whispers, rustles.

He placed a hand on the door, fingers splaying out across the thick papery substance. He gave a light shove, his fingers pressing against the material. The door slid open, and a small beam of light pierced the dark room.

The two occupants were cast in a soft yellow glow.

Itachi froze. His grasp around his katana went limp and the weapon clattered to the ground. His mind went blank. His eyes widened, a deadly ruby tint flashing in surprise. His voice almost cracked, emotion so thickly lacing his words

"…Kaa-san…?"

* * *

AN: Sorry for the delay…hope it meets expectations…it feels kind of rough…


	3. Chapter 3

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Somehow Different

* * *

_I didn't know. I really didn't. She had been a constant in my life. The one thing that had kept me from darkness, from succumbing to the pure hell I was surrounded with. She was my life. She was an earthquake. She woke me. She made my earth shake. She was __**everything**__. For as much as I prided myself on knowing her…I didn't_

_I…loved her._

_And yet…_

_I didn't know. To me, she was all that mattered but, when it came down to it, I knew absolutely nothing. Sure, I knew what her favorite color was, her favorite food, what she liked to do for fun. The little things. When her birthday was, her favorite type of flower. But…the deeper things…the things that make a person, I wasn't even close to knowing. I guess that's what made life with her so confusing. She knew me, everything about me, every little moment in my life, she knew. She could read me flawlessly, just like an open book…but I knew nothing._

_Nothing._

_I didn't know what her situation was, what her life was like. I didn't know what she was forced to do on a daily basis, what she had no choice but to concede to. It never occurred to me the immense travesty that was her marriage. The complete ruin that was her social life. The hell that she suffered on a day to day basis. It never crossed my nine year old mind. Not once._

_But then again, at that age, how are you supposed to read people? Is it expected of children to know these things? Was I supposed to be able to figure out her every need? Her every problem? And take it upon myself to help her? No…but I wished I had…I wished I had known…but I didn't…_

_I didn't know what her past had been like, who her close friends were, who she looked up to, what her emotions were like. I was totally oblivious. For all the love that I discovered, for all the love I felt for her, I didn't know her at all. And now that I think back, how could I have loved someone I knew nothing about?_

_But then the answer was simple. I sought love…I sought…acknowledgement. And she offered so much…she treated me like a human. She treated me like someone. Someone worth knowing. She __**knew**__ the real me. She __**loved**__ the real me._

_And I was determined to reciprocate that love._

_And so on that day, I finally figured it out. I finally understood her mentality, her emotions, her thoughts, and her words. Everything. Every single detail. Every single action. It took the cold steel blade of a young ANBU agent and the soft caress of a lonely wife to make me see. I was able to catch a glimpse of what she had to go through. I was able to peer into the past and discover the reality of what her life was._

_And it killed me inside._

_

* * *

_

She was a beautiful woman. Stunning. Striking. Majestic. Her unbelievably gorgeous looks were like something pulled from the pages of a tale of mythology. One where celestial beings, women with perfect features, shapely bodies and oozing with sex appeal frolicked amid the clouds and played with the minds and emotions of young men.

She was divine.

The wet dream of every man.

Incredibly so. Light, pale porcelain complexion. Her hair drawn back, silky ebony locks drifting lazily, casually behind her, waving as she walked. Her eyes, chocolate irises dancing with mirth, exuding warmth. The supple pink of her lips. Her body curving down, everything in all the right places. The way she carried herself, her head held high, the soft outline of her jaw and the elegant curve of her neck.

Her appearance was so classy…yet everything about it screamed wild. It screamed heavenly. It shouted out for the world to see. Absolutely dazzling.

God's gift to earth.

She had no idea.

Uchiha Mikoto had been crushed long ago.

The city streets were alive. Multitudes of people crowded around small shops, bartering, bargaining, or just looking. The restaurants were full, long lines of waiting people amassed outside each establishment. It was night and the city had finally awoken.

The lights flashed, each of their obscenely bright colors piercing through the air, washing over the still black stain of darkness. White. Green. Yellow. Blue. Purple. Red. Silver. Everything. They sparkled, each color splaying out across the city, drowning all in their soft gold hue or their neon pigments.

The main streets were covered in flashing lights.

Her feet carried her, slipping through the crowds of people standing around, talking, laughing, smiling. She could feel the heat, could feel the lights on her, dancing across her face. Indigo. Orange. Brown. Her hands reached up, gripping the hood that lay over her head, covering her well defined features in shadows. She pulled her jacket closer, trying to hide herself, trying to fold into the dark, away from where the glow touched.

She pivoted, ducking onto another road and her pace increased. Her shapely legs worked, taking her farther and farther away from the light.

She had been down this road before. Many times.

She wanted to forget. Just wanted to get away. Feelings that she wanted to lose…feelings she had experienced before...

Her feet carried her farther down the road, lights from the main road diminishing with each step. The small heels of her shoes hit softly against the brick roads, each step enunciated by an echo, a soft noise that bounced around. Forget… The memories flooded into her mind. No…no… She walked faster….faster….faster…closer…

The door opened. The light burst through the opening. Her hand rose, instinctively covering her eyes, her face. There was a shadow now, the dark outline standing in the doorway. Her eyes adjusted, quickly taking in the light and letting it mold with her sense. An advantage of hers. Her hand fell to her side, sleeves falling over the silky white complexion.

She walked on, toward the doorway. The figure stepped out of the light, disappearing from the entrance. She followed, each step bringing her closer to the soft white glow emanating from the opening.

She shifted, jacket hugging closer to her body. The door closed.

The neon sign above the door flickered.

The chair squeaked, but the sound was muffled out, the noise from the patrons drowning its high pitch out. Her clothes shifted, hood drawing further over her face and her hand closed over the object in front of her with a steel grip.

She lifted, downing the glass in one gulp. The fiery liquid washed down her throat.

She slammed her hand, the glass pounding the top of the wooden table. Her mouth folded into a grimace, lush bottom lip being bit into by her front teeth.

…Why…?

The glass dropped from her hand, spinning around on the table for a few moments, but she ignored it, her hand clenching into a fist. Where had it gone wrong? Where? After all this time…

…Why…?

Her life was cold. So cold. She yearned for warmth, needed it, craved it. Her life was dull, the same routine…the same lifestyle. The same cold emotions…the same cold touch…the same distant nature… She wanted something…new…exciting…different. Her life had changed. Dramatically. Since the first year of her marriage, **everything** changed.

She had no friends now, each fading away from her…never corresponding. Her husband forbid it. Her husband…Fugaku. Her fingernails dug into the palm of her hand, threatening to break skin and draw blood. She had tried. Tried so desperately hard. Tried to be a good wife. A good mother. A good symbol of the Uchiha clan.

What good was it? What good was it when your husband never gave you a second glance? Didn't talk with you? Didn't acknowledge you? Didn't love you? What was the point? What was the point when you had nothing? No love…no warmth…no life…

Nothing at all.

Her life was in ruins, every shattered piece falling around her like a broken mirror with each passing moment.

The glass rose again, liquid pouring straight down her throat. But she didn't feel it anymore…not anymore…

She tried…tried to make things work. No point. None at all. She was ignored. Her husband…preferring to look for pleasure in other places…her eldest…growing more and more distant with each passing day…her youngest…taken under Fugaku's wing. She had nothing, not even the joys of motherhood. Everything had been taken from her.

Until she found him.

That little ball of sunshine. The blonde tresses that whipped in the wind. The bright blue eyes that sparkled with joy. The soft voice…the rough unused pitch.

It turned her…

She had found warmth in the most unexpected of places. In a little boy, no older than nine years old. She found a small piece of salvation in Uzumaki Naruto.

He turned her…

He was so young…so enjoyable. He was…different. Different from the monotony of every day life. Different from the frigid cold of her relationship. Different from the lifeless levels of her home. He was…her life. He changed her.

Uzumaki Naruto had breathed life into a person with no hope. He had been her savior.

He…

More sake, a bottle already. She raised the glass shakily to her lips.

She needed him. He was her light now. Her light in the darkness. That one burning candle that illuminated the shadows of her world. He had that warmth…that calm…that compassion…that love. If only…if only. She was just so tired, so tired of life. If only things were somehow…changed…somehow…different.

The image of the blonde boy flashed through her mind. His wide innocent smile, his clear aquamarine eyes.

...Different…make me different…

* * *

_We touched._

_The electricity danced between us, the heat of our bodies radiating drowning energy. The soft touch. Her moist lips. The tingling feeling trailing across my body. Her lips sending shivers down my spine. The ultimate rush. A feeling so…so different. So alive. Her touch…like pure heaven. What was she doing to me? Why did it feel this way? Why did it feel so…good?_

_Our bodies pulsed. Our lips touched. _

_The blood pounded in my ears, masking the silence that lay all around as we shifted in the dark. I couldn't see her, but I could feel her. Her fingers tapping lightly on my skin, her breath brushing against my senses, her body slowly folding around mine._

_I was brought to edge. So close…so close…_

_But she pulled me back, our bodies loosing contact for a brief moment, a flicker in time. There would be a pause, a miniscule moment of lost warmth, a small, almost undeterminable ripple, a mere instant, but to me, it felt like a lifetime. And then it would start all over. _

_Again. Stop. Again. Stop. Again._

_She drove me crazy._

_My body was on fire, ablaze with warmth. He touch was cool, moist. A sensation against my body like no other. It seared across me, her hand traveling slowly, so slowly, down my body, down my chest, around my stomach and down, farther, farther… Each finger, spreading wide, touching as much as possible, circling, twirling, teasing. Just enough contact to take me there and just as many lapses to pull me away. Any other man would be a pitiful quivering mess at the tips of her fingers, begging for more. But…I wasn't. Because…she was just playing with me. _

_I don't know how long it went on, how long we were on the floor, our clothes shed carelessly away, sprawled across the wooden planks. I had lost track of time long ago, lost control the moment she touched me. The moment she fondled me. The moment she stroked me._

_I lost it all._

_Our bodies curved against one another, sounds of pleasure…of love…of release, echoing through the room. Talking with our bodies…wordless…conversing…_

_We never heard the footsteps, slowly, cautiously approaching the room, too caught up in our own game, our own…activities…_

_We never heard the almost silent unsheathing of a blade, the metal making a slight sound as it curved out from its protective casing. We never heard the door slide open, wood grinding softly against rubber and tile. We almost didn't hear the katana clatter to the ground, ray skin handle barely able to muffle the noise of the hilt clacking sharply against the floor._

_The sharp intake of breath brought us back to our senses, shaking us from our lust, our passion and our love. As we turned, our bodies still wrapped around each other we glimpsed glowing red irises in the dark. We froze, almost as still as the young man standing in the doorway, dark black uniform clashing with the light drifting in from behind._

_We clearly heard the next words._

_

* * *

_

"…Kaa-san…?"

He froze, his silhouette in the doorway, shafts of light poking out from behind him. Itachi stared, red irises spinning rapidly, confusion so evident upon his face. What was going on? What was….this?

No one moved. The panting of the two figures resounded in the silence, deep breaths echoing in the darkness.

His eyes kept spinning, sharingan slowly coming to a halt. He saw movement. His mother gradually rising from her position on the ground, staring at him, gauging his reaction. His eyes flickered, staring past her bare nudity and stopping on the figure behind lying next to her. A young boy…perhaps eleven…maybe twelve. Blonde hair.

His mind spun and he felt his heart clench, an unfamiliar weight settling in the pit of his stomach. What was going on? Why was he feeling like this? His sharingan kept revolving.

He tore his gaze away from the boy. Away from the tanned, naked body covered in fluids. Away from the look on his face. The look of half pleasure, half shock. He felt sick.

Instead he turned his crimson eyes to the face of his mother. Her pale features, the outline of her face and her warm brown eyes. His hands clenched at his sides, palms wet and clammy, and the now limp appendages coming to life. She was slowly approaching him, her clothes only half on.

He stepped back, feet almost stumbling over themselves in haste.

The look of pure pain that crossed her face was enough to make him stop in his tracks. He stared at her, watching as she pulled the remainder of her robes over her shoulders, covering her bare skin. The fabric rustled, soft silk splaying out over her smooth skin.

"Itachi…"

Her voice rang out in the silence and momentarily he lost his tense nature, his façade melting before his mother's calm tone. But it was just a moment of weakness, unexpected and unforeseen. He bounced back quickly and he sharpened himself, his rotating sharingan finally coming to a halt.

"Son…"

He looked her in the eyes, noticing the pain…and…fear in the windows to her soul. His mouth opened and his brain worked. He tried to think, tried to come up with something suitable to say. Nothing.

"Why?"

The words came from his lips like water. It flowed. It was only right.

She stepped closer to him, almost close enough to touch his face.

"Son, I…"

Itachi stepped back again, out of her reach, his mouth moving now, words coming to life. His voice was unnaturally calm, so quiet, melding perfectly with the silence around them.

"Why? Why did you do this? What are you thinking? What is this?"

He motioned with his hands, fingers pointing to her state of undress, to the blonde boy now standing behind her. His hands fells limp at his sides and his mouth folded, a tight grimace plastering itself onto his face. He closed his eyes, trying to draw the picture away, trying to forget what he's seen, banish the images to the recesses of his mind. No use.

His eyelids lifted and his sharingan was gone, in its place coal colored pupils. He looked at his mother, his expression hardening as he watched her mouth move, looking for a response.

"Son, it's just…"

Itachi spoke over her, his voice rising uncharacteristically, betraying emotions he never knew existed.

"It's just what? Rape? Adultery?"

Silence once again. Mikoto was speechless.

"What are you going to do when the clan finds out?"

Her face morphed into one of hate and Itachi could see the thinly veiled anger.

"Itachi…the clan can rot in hell."

He could hear the loathing in her voice. He paused, thinking about what he'd just heard. She had never acted like this before… He glanced at the boy again, noticed his confused expression, noticed his look of wonder as the two conversed. This boy and his mother…just the thought made him sick. He had no illusions of who the blonde was, the village pariah, Uzumaki Naruto. But he wasn't concerned about that. Just…his mother…

"What will you do when the Hokage finds out?"

She looked him dead in the eyes, her voice hollow.

"He won't."

The blonde interrupted.

"Jiji? What about him? What's wrong if he finds out?"

His voice pierced through the two sharingan wielders. Itachi looked at the boy, his black eyes showing nothing.

"Everything. More so if the clan find's out. You will be killed. My mother will be killed. And there will be nothing to prevent it."

His mother looked up, alarmed. There was a panicked look on her face, one that Itachi had never seen before.

"You wouldn't."

It wasn't a question. And Itachi knew that. But he was a shinobi…and he had an obligation. His feet carried him backwards, sliding against the wooden floors of the complex.

"Mother…I…"

Her voice raised, soft pitch becoming louder.

"You wouldn't Itachi. Not to your own flesh and blood."

There was now a hint of desperation in her voice. He could hear it. The undercurrent slowly becoming more and more pronounced.

"I am a shinobi. I have a duty…I…"

"No Itachi."

He looked at her, could see the fright clearly written onto her features. He slid back again.

"I was placed under the ANBU squad to watch Uzumaki Naruto and report anything about him directly to the Hokage."

He paused, the apprehension now on both of their faces, the boy and his mother.

"I have an obligation."

He slid back, flipping over the stairway, fixed in mid-air. He could see his mother lunge, her silk robes almost coming off.

"Itachi, wait!"

But he was already gone, a single black feather floating to the floor in his place.

The two of them stood in the stillness, the light still filtering in from the doorway, glowing in the darkness.

The feather hit silently.

* * *

AN: I am so terribly sorry for not updating in forever. I apologize from the depths of my heart. The chapter was supposed be out roughly two months ago, but certain circumstances prevented me from updating and writing. I broke two fingers, dislocated another and fractured a fourth. Hopefully, you can all understand why I haven't updated.

I'm a little disappointed in this chapter…but I hope you all enjoyed it. Point out anything you see wrong...

Thank you for the support.


	4. Chapter 4

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Life to Share

* * *

It beamed through the window, casting light across the paper strewn desk, white glow splaying over important documents and meaningless side notes. The small words of ebony colored ink were illuminated, slightly shining as the still wet kanji lay drying. Writing tools were carelessly tossed onto the deep colored wood, each casting its own definition onto the myriad of shapes and tones.

His pen ran swiftly across the slips of paper, sliding each line and stroke with ease. His aged hand was quick, twitching every so often as he gave definition to each character with skill born from countless years of slaving away over the exact same desk. The veins in his hands pulsed, faintly outlined against his tanned old wrinkly skin, the blue and green hue almost unseen. He worked calmly and with a twirl of his pen and an exaggerated stroke, he stopped.

Finished.

Smoke wafted around him, small rings and large swirls floating lazily through the still air. The gray circles obstructed the view of his face, hiding the shadowed old visage easily. The pipe in his mouth sputtered some dark ash into the air. The small black grains fell leisurely to his desk, landing on blemish free white paper. Slowly he reached a hand out, brushing aside the substance, careful to not smear it across his important documents.

Inhaling deeply, he sat back, letting the smoke fill his lungs. Bliss. He shrugged his shoulders and stretched out the kinks and knots in his back. A sigh of content was unleashed, his breath coming out as a large cloud of smoke. His eyes closed and he was silent. The pen dropped from his hands.

Footsteps.

His brow creased in agitation, adding to the many wrinkles already present on his aged features.

More footsteps.

His eyes opened, black pupils staring at the oak door across the room expectantly. They followed the handle, watched as it turned gradually. They watched as the door opened. Coal black eyes followed the flowing movement and grace of a shinobi as shadows entered the room.

Silence.

Slowly the figure approached, each step calm and calculated. The shinobi's boots fell, hollow on the wood floor. The old man behind the desk raised an eyebrow, noticing the figure shiver. It was uncharacteristic of ANBU, even more so with this certain ninja. Finally the figure stopped, dropping to one knee and bowing his head.

"Hokage-sama."

The Sandaime Hokage leaned forward, his old and gnarled hands coming to rest on the hard wood surface in front of him. His wide brimmed, elaborately designed hat tipped a little on his head. The clay pipe in his mouth was clenched tight between his lips, smoke drifting out from the end.

His eyes were cold.

The teen in front of him was still, frozen under the gaze of his superior. His face was expressionless, black eyes fixed forward, careful not to let his stare drift. Ebony locks of hair were tied into a braid that hung over his shoulder, dipping down to his upper back. His dark fatigues matched his unassuming appearance and blended in with the surroundings.

"Stand."

The Sandaime's voice cut through the silence. He relinquished his icy gaze and watched as the shinobi before him visibly loosened. The hard exterior was melting away. The tension in his shoulders vanished, his back lost the stiff posture and his facial features lost their steel like visage, fading slightly and being replaced by a softer expression.

The old man leaned back once more, the many folds of his robe coming to rest against the pliable wood surface of his favorite chair. Sarutobi's voice rang through the room again as the shinobi facing him straightened out.

"Now, tell me Itachi, what has called you to my office so soon?"

The ANBU was silent. His brain worked frantically, the gears in his head turning and twisting, trying to come up with the words to present his position. Itachi opened his mouth. Once. Silence. Twice. Nothing. His lips moved. Nothing. He tried to speak. Nothing. Seconds passed and then a minute and still no response from the dark haired prodigy. Finally, his voice caught up with his thoughts and words rushed from his lips.

"It's a family matter, Hokage-sama."

The Sandaime raised an eyebrow, puffing on his pipe thoughtfully.

"Oh? And what would warrant my attention so soon after your previous report?"

Itachi was still. Slowly he licked his lips, tongue traveling over cracked lips and looked at the old man.

"It's about my mother…"

Sarutobi stuffed his pipe with tobacco, grabbing a lighter from a drawer of his desk as he waited for Itachi to finish.

"…and Naruto."

There was a small dent left in the floor of the office as the lighter in Sarutobi's hand plummeted earthbound. The Hokage's gaze snapped up, locking with Itachi's. There was worry evident on his face and an almost panicked glaze decorating his eyes.

"What?"

His voice was dangerously sharp, a hint of anger present in his gravely tone. Itachi remained silent, knowing that there would be a follow up.

"What about Naruto and Mikoto?"

Itachi took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself for the Hokage's questioning. Anything that involved Naruto was the leader's business, from life changes down to the smallest detail of his living spaces. The Hokage knew everything.

"Naru-"

The door to the Sandaime's office snapped open and a gust wind blew the dust up in the entrance. The eyes of the two shinobi swiveled to the front. The secretary, laden with stacks upon stacks of manila folders stood in the threshold, shivering slightly under the killing intent that the Sandaime was radiating.

"Umm…Ho-Hokage-sama…the fi-files you re-requested."

The old man's gaze brushed over the secretary and the killing intent diminished.

"Place them at the corner of the room and leave."

The man nodded, quickly set the files down and almost ran out of the room. He left the door open behind him and Itachi quickly moved to secure the premises.

"Now, tell me Itachi, what about your mother and Naruto?"

Itachi visibly swallowed.

"Hokage-sama…they've been getting to know each other."

Sarutobi inhaled some smoke. The gray rings flowed around his face.

"I don't see what the problem would be. Getting acquainted with someone older would be beneficial for Naruto."

Itachi closed his eyes.

"Hokage-sama, I'm, afraid you misunderstand me. They've really been getting to know each other. They've gone past the pleasantries and into things not suitable for virgin eyes."

The old man stiffened in his seat. His voice hit Itachi hard.

"What?"

* * *

_I had no idea of what was going to happen. Everything was shrouded in mystery, covered in doubt. I was blank. But it was a feeling I was familiar with. That uncertainty, that sensation of helplessness. It was a feeling that had been the majority of my life. I didn't worry for myself. At the time I wasn't really sure what was going to happen to me and frankly I didn't care. Sure, that ninja, the one I would later come to know as Itachi, scared me half to death. But it really wasn't that big of a deal._

_I was more worried for her. If something happened to her…if she was hurt…if she suffered because of me…_

_I would probably die of shame._

_She was still in her kneeling position. Her robes had pooled around her, silk flowing down across her body. She hadn't moved since Itachi had left. It scared me. I had never seen her…so…panicked. If someone like her…someone who had infinite composure had been that ruffled… The very idea terrified me. _

_Perhaps I hadn't grasped the severity of our situation. Maybe I hadn't been able to wrap my mind around the peril we had been put into. There was even the slight chance that I was too shocked to think clearly. It had happened so fast. Her touch…the electricity dancing across my body…the taste. All so thrilling…a new experience. Then, an abrupt stop. The voices, the deadly hiss of anger issued from her mouth and the calm monotone of Itachi. It struck me…pulling at me…piercing through me._

_It had been a jolt to my senses. The startling loss of bliss and the induction into a world of confusion. Like I'd suddenly been pulled from a dream and into a nightmare._

_It left me dazed. My eyes were glazed over, my skin still flushed. Sweat dripped down my brow and my heart pounded._

_**Thump. Thump. Thump**__. Over and over again. _

_Loudly, very loudly. I could hear it, beating against my ribcage. As if it was straining to free itself from the confines of my body._

"_I think you should leave Naruto."_

_My heart almost stopped. I barely registered the lack of 'chan' at the end of my name. I turned, my eyes still wide, the apprehension still stamped on my features. I looked at her, my blue eyes glossing over as I saw her crumpled, seemingly defeated form. I opened my mouth, the pitch of my voice fluctuating as I struggled to speak._

"_But…Mikoto-san, what abo-"_

_She interrupted me, cutting through my protest._

"_No…leave Naruto. Go home."_

_I could hear it in her voice, that tone of finality. There was no room for argument. No room for 'Naruto-chan'. I shuffled away from her, my feet dragging on the polished floors. I wanted to say something. Anything. But my mind has still not caught up with the turn of events. At the edge of the stairs I turned, looking back at her. My heart plummeted._

_Her eyes were dull, the energy that had existed in the depths of the windows to her soul, now non-existent. Where there was once strength, there was weakness. Where there was once light, now nothing, just empty orbs of black. I opened my mouth, my lips curling to say her name. She must've heard me start._

"_Go home Naruto. Go home."_

_Her voice scratched into me. Etching into my heart. It was cold, frosty, the tone like a harsh winter breeze. So cold… I cringed. How was I supposed to go home? Home was here. Home was with her…_

_I muttered the last part, my steps down the stairs audible in the silence. I don't know if she heard me or not. _

_

* * *

_

The dirt along the path was kicked up, dust swirling in small circles as footsteps disturbed the brown and gray splotches of earth. Red and orange light shined down, the last remnants of light from a dying sun. The sky was slowly turning dark, clouds gathering in the purple and crimson skies. A picture perfect scene, like that of pastels on canvas, a work of art. Priceless.

He walked slowly, his silhouette framed against the colors dancing in the sky. His blonde hair shined, the vibrant yellow standing out against the dim shades of gray behind him that covered the walls of buildings. His steps were sluggish, each foot dragging tiredly through the dirt and dust.

Blue eyes were filled with sadness and his shoulders were filled with tension. His face was filled with sentiment, a plethora of different expression flashing across with each passing second.

Why…why…

The expression on her face as he left. The defeat. The pain. The pure agony that adorned her features as he stepped down the stairwell. Why? Why had she told him to leave? He couldn't understand. Shouldn't they both be going through this? Why didn't she want him there? Why had she done those…things?

So many questions. None of them answered.

Go home…

It echoed in his brain, those two words: the source of his current silence. Those two words: sticking to his thoughts. He couldn't shake them. Go home…

He let out a small chuckle. He didn't have a home. Home was something you loved. Home was with her…

The light was dying around him with each step. Night was falling, quickly, the shadows beginning to consume everything in their path. He continued, his head swirling with thousands of thoughts. Thousand of words. Thousand of emotions. His heart pounded.

What was going to happen?

He had no way of knowing.

And in the shadows of the dying day, Naruto's fate was decided.

Night fell.

* * *

Lightning flashed in the night sky. Thunder roared loudly, announcing its presence, never far off from the dazzling white glow.

The lights flickered off.

The shadows moved.

The buildings towered overhead, massive structures placed close together, creating alleyways and small passages. The lights from above blinked on and off, electricity dancing around the dying bulbs.

Lightning crackled overhead.

A door slammed somewhere in the urban jungle. Heavy boots clacked against the pavement, scraping against the concrete with each step. Slowly, but surely they made there way around the buildings, ducking through alleyways and stepping over abandoned wreckage.

Thunder rumbled, closer now.

Robes rustled, grazing the floor as they swished across the pavement. A gloved hand reached out from the robes, fingers curling around the knob of a door. It opened and the hooded figure entered, his hand retracting back to the folds of his clothing.

The lights flickered on.

A room. A table. A hooded figure standing at the center of the room. The Uchiha crest etched into the floor.

Thunder roared outside.

A voice rang out over the boom, calling the attention of the shadows. The robed figure in the center turned, focusing his gaze on the new comer.

"Certain events have been brought to my attention. They concern the dignity of the Uchiha clan."

All was still. Waiting with baited breath.

"My dear Mikoto-chan has been consorting with the demon vessel, Uzumaki Naruto."

The man in the center stiffened.

"Consorting? In what way?"

The taller figure moved away from the entrance, drawing closer to the center of the room. His voice was drawn out, a long drawl.

"Sex, what else can you expect from her?"

There was protest, a gleam of red under the shadows of the hood.

"She wouldn't do th-"

Voices raised.

"Silence. I know her much better than you do. Far more than you ever will."

The man smirked.

"It's exactly the kind of thing she'd do. Going after helpless little children because she can't get anything else."

The man standing on the Uchiha symbol gritted his teeth, the sound audible in the stillness. The taller, older man continued.

"Don't even begin to assume that you know her more than I."

The thunder rolled and lightning struck, sparks and flashes striking earth every few seconds.

"How do we know this is true? What evidence do you have?"

There was a bark of laughter and hand reached out from heavy robes. The hood around the taller figure was pulled down. Black hair hanging around his face. Sharp, angular features. Black eyes.

"Hokage-sama is a fool and trusts too blindly. My spy in his office was able to eavesdrop on a conversation between Sarutobi and an ANBU agent. All of my information is flawless."

There was a cough and a questioning hum.

"An ANBU agent? Do you know who it was?"

A regretful sigh came from the taller man.

"No…the secretary never saw man's face and the listening device isn't suited for that sort of reconnaissance."

Silence. Another cough. The hooded figure cleared his throat.

"What do propose we do about it?"

Silence. A pause.

"Exterminate the problem."

A sharp intake of air.

"Are you sure?"

A nod in the shadows, barely noticeable.

"Yes. Uzumaki Naruto…is our problem. Once removed…it will be a…easy…task to change dear Mikoto's views…"

There was another pause. Longer this time and when the man spoke, there was a hint of hesitation. A hint of apprehension.

"You plan to break her?"

The lightning crackled outside, the flash and bang high in the clouds. The blue beam shone through the window, casting light on the two men. There pale faces were shone. One ablaze with glee and the other blank.

"Of course, why shouldn't I?"

There was an angry growl now and the younger man's voice began to rise.

"What do you mean? She's your wife for kami's sake! How cou-"

There was a blur of movement. A hand gripped his throat, fingers curling around his windpipe. His feet were lifted off the ground and he was suspended in mid air. He gurgled in protest. A voice whispered in his ear.

"You might be the most talented of our clan, but I hold the power. Don't forget that."

He was released, crumpling to the floor, gasping for breath. The man continued, ignoring the wheezes and splutters.

"Yes…she's my wife. And thus, I can do with her whatever I want to. And no one will interfere."

He turned toward the door.

"You will inform the rest of the clan elders. I will take it from there. Be prepared to do your duty for the Uchiha clan."

There was a flicker and then the man was gone. The crumpled figure picked himself up from the floor. Re-adjusting his clothing, he fastened the hood around his face. Looking around, as if expecting something to pop out of the shadows of the room, he stepped back to the center of the Uchiha clan symbol and with a shimmer, was gone as well.

Lightning crackled. The light spluttered off.

* * *

_I don't know what possessed me that night. I don't know what force of nature told me to turn around. Told me to turn back. _

_Maybe it was Kami…maybe it was Shinigami…I have no idea._

_But something drew me away; something pulled me from the stairwell of my apartment and told me to go back. Amid the thunder, the lightning, the darkness and the flashes of blue light, I walked. My feet dragged through the gravel, the dirt, the sludge. Each step carrying me farther and farther into the night._

_Something had swung me around, slapped me on the back and told me to go the other way._

_To this day, it remains the smartest mistake I have made in my entire life._

_

* * *

_

AN: It was hard to write this chapter. It's kinda like a bridge between main points…and I struggled with it. Hope it's up to scratch…


	5. Chapter 5

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Solo

* * *

Thunder roared.

Down. Down. Down.

The wind howled. He fell, gravity drawing his body to the ground, the force of the world reaching out to him, pulling. The wind whistled in his ear, whipping raindrops across his face and body. The water pelted him, thousands of tiny drops falling all around. Three, then two, finally a second left before he would reach his grizzly end on the spire of a rooftop.

The water splashed around him. He flipped. The force of his body carried him up, streaming through the air and rain at speeds previously unknown to his fragile mind. A heavy thud and the crack of tile underneath announced his landing. He wasted no time, feet sparking into action.

Lighting crackled.

His legs carried him, blurring, hazy in the black backdrop. Faster. Not enough. Faster. Legs holding him, propelling him, quicker than he'd ever run before. A thin blue line trailed behind him, power radiating, spreading. Blue light glowed in the dark, eerie neon the only color in a land of gray. His foot embedded into a rooftop and the tiles around him exploded, casting fragments of clay and plaster into the night. It carried him up, casting him forward and he stumbled, his footing catching onto the melting iron before him. A hiss, raindrops evaporating. His trail was burning up, remnants of rubble and shingles in his wake.

He didn't notice.

The air crackled; the power around him seemingly alive. It felt his emotions, fed him energy, gave him the tools to survive. It sensed his urgency.

More speed. More power. More.

The world flew by.

He gritted his teeth, the enamel grinding together, clenching, unclenching, audible and echoing in his mind. The rain dripped down his face. Pain. He could feel it. It racked his body, sending shivers down his spine. He could feel it. Closer. So much closer. It reached out to him. The feeling of agony…of torment.

She was in pain.

He didn't know how he knew, how he could feel it…feel the torture. He could. He just could. Another jolt of pain, this time down the side of his face, the stinging sensation quickly fading away. He needed to get there quickly. She was in trouble. Danger. He needed to know…needed to see…

Lightning struck near him, the white light piercing into the ground. Anguish poured over him as another jolt of pain passed through, cascading across his body like the rain. He bit his lip to quit from crying out.

'Mikoto-san…'

He saw it in the distance, barely, his cerulean eyes straining in the dark. The Uchiha fan hanging over the compound entrance, red and white fan taunting him. Lightning illuminated his body, damp blonde hair shown in the brief flash of light. Raindrops streamed across his face, trailing the three whisker marks on either cheek. His hands clenched, nails digging deeply at another onslaught of pain. It was still too far.

'Faster…I need more speed…'

The air sparked to life around him, the rain disappearing momentarily. He stumbled a bit, pain rocking his body again. The energy was stagnant for a moment and then he felt it. A raw feeling, unhindered by the restraints of life. Power. Energy. Unbridled clout. An uncontrolled new burst. The blue radiance expanded.

His feet carried him faster, a mere shimmer in the rain.

Closer.

Closer.

'C'mon…almost there…'

The pain exploded in his body. He kept going, the sapphire trail of power behind him, wisps of energy floating in the rain. He could feel it swirling in him, almost as if it was giddy with excitement.

'It's not enough…not enough…'

He could still see the Uchiha crest in the distance. He urged his legs to go faster and the energy within him complied, bending to his will. But it wasn't enough.

'Damnit…damnit…'

The blue shine began to expand, crackling energy racing up his body, engulfing him in its suffocating presence. His feet slid across the roof, gliding, unseen to the naked eye. He jumped. The energy swelled. It rippled. It twirled. It danced.

'I need to get there…now…she's in pain…I can't…I…'

Lightning tore across the sky, light blinding the darkness. It was a few moments, just a few but when the light faded away, all that remained was shadows. The patter of rain on the ground and the rolling thunder echoed in the night.

Naruto was gone.

* * *

_To this day I'm not sure what I did. I'm not sure how I disappeared in mid jump. All I know is the feeling. The feeling that picked me up and caused me to vanish on that rainy night. It was like a release…an energy that was begging to be released. It built up in me, waiting to be called upon. And when I did…it was like the doors had opened. It was playing within me, feeding off my every emotion. Egging me on. It knew what I wanted and it obliged. It coursed across my body in waves, sending its energy straight into me. _

_I loved it._

_It gave me assurance. An assurance that I would be able to do something…that I would make a difference. I didn't know what it was and at the time I didn't care. All I knew was that it helped. That it bent, morphed, folded. It did everything that I wanted. And I used it. With the cerulean hue washing over me, I felt comforting warmth. Like a hug. It did it all._

_And so I pushed it more. I pushed it to what I thought was its limit. I pushed it to the point of exhaustion, to the point where it should have stopped. I pushed it to where I no longer could use it. I pushed it to the point where it was useless. To the point where it didn't make me faster, stronger, more agile. I'd thought I'd pushed it to the limit, that this…energy had finally been exhausted._

_And in mid jump I almost gave up hope. In mid jump, I almost lost it._

_Then I felt it pulse in me. I felt it pound, a longing, a deep burn within me._

_It was like something exploding in my body, like the floodgates had been broken down. I felt alive. _

_And then I vanished._

_It was a sensation like no other. Intense. Unique in its own peculiar way. It was like the energy had just exploded in my coursing through every single fiber in my body. It had traveled into the deepest parts of my body, the darkest parts of my mind…and lit them up. I was ablaze, the energy tingling under the surface of my body, crackling, hissing, spitting into the air. I thought nothing of it. I didn't need to. I didn't want to. At the time, there were more urgent things to attend to. Whatever that energy was, it had taken me to my destination._

_I shouldn't have lost control. I shouldn't have. But the power, the energy…it had given me a sense of free will. It had broken down every single barrier I'd ever created. It's like…it had forged me into something new…and for a split second I thought I could forget everything…_

_I should have stepped away, went for help. I knew he hadn't seen me. I knew I could've gotten away. I should have left. But who would believe the 'demon brat'? More so, who would get involved with Uchiha clan politics? The Hokage? He would have never arrived in time. Staying was my only choice._

_I shouldn't have flipped. But I did. It was Mikoto…_

_I lost control…just seeing her like that, just seeing her hurt…_

_Before I knew it, the cobalt aura had faded away, diminishing and giving way to a crimson wave. I felt warm, heat licking at the edge of my senses. It washed over me_

_All I saw was Mikoto._

_All I saw was blood._

_

* * *

_

The crimson colored fluid smeared across the wood, splaying out and across the oak floor. Candle light dappled the ruby-red liquid as it splashed in drops to the ground. Drip. Drop. Drip. Each small droplet of blood agonizingly slow on its descent to the ground.

Dull brown eyes once full of warmth and life, glinted dimly in the light. Once pink and full lips were deathly pale, the color having long been snuffed out. Smooth, unblemished skin, the envy of so many others was now cut and bruised, the perfect complexion now marred with abuse. Long black hair, once glistening and silky, was now torn, ripped.

She was broken.

Her body snapped, destroyed. Her mind shattered.

Broken.

Scattered into dozens of pieces like a porcelain bowl. Dropped and cracked, splintered into tiny, minuscule parts.

She was on the floor, cast aside like a rag doll, body splayed out across the wood and clothes torn to shreds. There was barely any light, only the candle and the crackling lightning out side illuminating the room. It was cold, a chill creeping into the room as it rained. Or perhaps it was the killer intent, the fury leaking from one corner of the room. The candle light crept across her face, the yellow glow bathing her in a eerie picture.

Silence reigned over the room, a suffocating quiet that promised pain if broken. There was a slight rustling in the corner of the room, a clinking sound that echoed ominously in the dark. She held her breath, not wanting the sound of her raspy crushed body to release in the dark. She waited, the glow of the candle on her face, a silent witness to her destruction.

A loud curse pierced the silence and only a moment later a bottle went spinning across the room, shattering into pieces upon contact with the floor. The glass spun out of control, digging into wood and flesh. She twitched and almost at once froze, trying to conceal her movement from those coal black eyes.

"Be STILL woman!"

It was no use and she tensed, bracing herself. A foot lashed out of the darkness and planted itself straight into her stomach, the boot smacking into her with a sickening crunch. She flew back, body arching in pain and slammed against the wall. Her body folded upon contact with the wall, crumpling into a ball as she slid to the floor, blood marking her descent.

"I though you learned your lesson!"

Another bottle flew through the air, the low hum signaling its fall. This time it broke on her, glass shattering on her back and breaking through her skin. She almost screamed, her teeth biting through her lip to stop the gasp of pain from leaving her throat.

Silence fell over the room once more, the only sound the ones of her breath in the dark.

"You stupid woman…"

A low raspy laugh echoed through the room. A figure in the corner shifted, stepping into the candle light, boots crunching on broken glass. His height blocked out the feeble glow of the candle as he stood before her. There was a swish of fabric as he reached into his clothing, his hand gripping a long, tube like object. His hand withdrew, grasping it by its hilt.

Mikoto's eyed the weapon, fear gripping her.

The man laughed.

"What? You didn't think I'd find out? You didn't think I'd know?"

He drew close to her, his boots dropping to the floor with harsh cracks.

"You didn't think that I'd find out you were with that…that **filth**?"

He spat the words, his spit flying into the air as he worked himself into a rage.

"You didn't think I'd find out you were cheating on ME? YOUR HUSBAND?"

He snorted and his cruel laugh reverberated in the silence. Mikoto shivered unconsciously, her body shaking more and more as Fugaku drew closer. His voice sliced into her.

"With that **demon**…how low you have fallen. Consorting with the **demon spawn**…"

He knelt near her and gripped her chin, forcing it upwards.

"Look at me you sad excuse for a woman. Look at me when I speak to you!"

She looked up, her eyes meeting his and her face contorted in a grimace. She spit. The liquid spewed from her mouth, a mix of blood and saliva splashing into the face of Fugaku. He paused for a moment, disbelief written across his features. His grip tightened around her chin and anger became evident on his face.

"You…you BITCH!"

His hand flew forward, fingers slapping her across the face, long, angry red marks clear on her pale skin.

"You DARE to spit at me? You DARE?"

The metallic taste of blood was in her mouth and her vision was blurry, the shapes and figures before her phasing in and out of existence. She heard the sword being drawn from its sheath, the metal scraping against wood as he fumbled around in blind rage. Her body crumpled to the floor, sliding against the wood. She saw the glint of steel in the dark, coming closer, closer…

Her eyes flickered shut and then open again, almost missing the blur that shimmered into existence behind the hulking figure above her.

Blonde hair…

Her eyes snapped shut and then open, not believing the sight before her.

'Naruto…'

The blade was drawing nearer, Fugaku stumbling forward in his rage.

She saw the crimson aura around him, the heat radiating so much she could feel it from her crumpled position on the floor. She almost panicked, terror gripping her as Fugaku got closer.

'Oh no…Naruto…you have to leave…he'll kill you…'

She saw Naruto glance up, his azure eyes piercing through the darkness. His eyes landed on her and they widened momentarily. A crimson aura began to build, the energy glowing in the dark. She watched, her hands reaching out to yell a warning to Naruto.

Fugaku began to turn, finally sensing a presence behind him, his heel pivoting on the polished wood. The pupils of Naruto's eyes were slits now, the scarlet energy around him beginning to take a corporeal form. Coal black pupils slowly began to morph in crimson sharingan. Steel glinted in the dark. Naruto's feet pushed off the wooden floor, indents and scorch marks left in the hard oak. Fugaku brought his head full around, doujutsu half formed as he watched in surprise at the charging blonde boy.

The steel of the katana was brought down, blade flowing through the air on its fall. Naruto's hand reached up, crimson aura engulfing his arm, palm opening to grasp the blade. Fugaku's sharingan activated, spinning in circles as it stared the blonde down. Naruto was within a few steps, fingers reaching out, scarlet energy crackling in the palm of his hand.

Mikoto screamed.

Naruto's animalistic roar tore through the night.

Blood splattered the walls of the room, ruby liquid the new decoration to the bland furniture.

It all happened in the span of three seconds.

Blood covered his hands, crimson liquid dripping from his fingers. The aura was fading. The blade clattered to the floor. The Uchiha Patriarch stumbled back, eyes wide in disbelief, sharingan spinning slowly. Naruto fell to his knees, blonde hair matted down.

Mikoto's eyes widened in shock.

Fugaku hit the wall, slipping to the wooden floors. Blood smeared across the bamboo covers as he did, trailing his descent. Ruby red fluids squirted from the hole through his chest, blood splashing out as he slid.

Naruto hit the floor, blood coated hands shaking as the red aura faded away.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi's eyes snapped open, sharingan blazing into life.

"Hokage-sama."

Smoke wafted through the air, the rain tapping against the roof of the building, echoing in the empty warehouse. They were in an abandoned warehouse, one Itachi had discovered as a meeting place between Uchiha elders. The Sandaime shifted, his robes brushing against the Uchiha crest in the middle of the room. His eyes were closed, brow creased in annoyance.

"You felt it too?"

Itachi nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on the aged features of the Hokage. Lightning crackled overhead, illuminating the too figure, light reaching them beneath hat and hood.

"Hai…Hokage-sama…if I may…"

The old man exhaled, smoke blowing through the air in gray rings.

"Go ahead Itachi, ask me."

Itachi shifted, sharingan beginning to spin, a sign of his agitation.

"…What was it?"

Sarutobi slowly walked toward the door of the abandoned warehouse, his eyes now open and glinting in the dim light. His gnarled hand came to rest on the doorknob and he bit down on his pipe. The thunder roared.

"That…was the chakra of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

Itachi froze, his rotating sharingan coming completely to a stop.

"…The Kyuubi no Kistune… Hokage-sama? Does that mean…Naruto…"

The Sandaime turned the knob of the door and stepped out into rain. The lightning fizzed in front of him.

"Yes…Naruto is in danger…and I assume your mother is as well."

Itachi was shook out of his stupor.

"My mother?"

Sarutobi inhaled deeply from his pipe, letting the burning smoke fill his lungs.

"Hurting you mother…is about the only thing that can set Naruto off…for him to be drawing this much…we might already be too late."

Itachi started toward the door, footsteps audible even through the thunder. The hood around his face almost concealed his anger, the inner fabric glowing crimson from the reflection of his sharingan. The Sandaime stared into the rainy night sky.

"…And judging from the direction…the rest of your ANBU squad has failed to protect him…the Uchiha compound is a large place Itachi..."

They both stepped into the rain, the pelting drops hardly felt under their long robes. The Sandaime spoke, smoke spouting from his mouth with every word.

"Shinobi all over Konohagakure will be attracted to the sudden burst in chakra. Make sure you find them first. I will cut off the shinobi heading towards the scene and have the ANBU play crowd control. Do your job Itachi. Don't let me down."

Sarutobi Hiruzen walked into the torrential downpour, his form blurring into nothing amid the rain. Itachi shimmered into thin air, the glow of sharingan an afterimage in his wake.

* * *

AN: Hell, yes, I am still alive. Two months, I know, two freaking months. The only thing I have to say for myself is…school. Hopefully you all know what I mean. Things have been extremely crazy and I just haven't gotten around to writing anything. I hope you like the new chapter…and remember, it **is** rated M for a reason. Well, I encourage you to review…thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Fearless

* * *

_I can't even begin to describe what went on in my mind that day. I can't. It's virtually impossible for me. To describe everything, the emotions, the anger, the pain, the confusion and the ensuing turmoil, it would drive me insane. I don't even remember it that clearly. It's kind of sad. A major turning point in my life and I have little to no recollection of the events. _

_I'm pretty sure my mind was warped that day, because I've never been the same since. Whether it was killing Fugaku, or the events that came after, I will never know. I'm not sure what happened in my mind that day._

_But I do know what happened in the depths of my soul. I do know what came after my mind was shattered. I do know what I met, what I was inducted into that day._

_Pain. Copious amounts of pain. Pain beyond anything previously imagined, beyond anything fathomable to the human mind. And a crimson demon. A petrifying fox, tails of blood red energy flailing out from behind it._

_Kyuubi no Kistune._

_A blue glow._

_And I remember screaming. A loud scream. A terrifying scream. A broken scream. A scream reminiscent to a roar. A scream that didn't sound like it had come from my mouth._

_Probably because it hadn't really. Probably because it had been two voices and not one. Probably because it had been the voice of the most powerful being on the planet melded with mine. _

_And the more I screamed, the more the pain assaulted my senses and tore into my body, the more it roared, the more the mighty demon fox writhed on the floor in agony. The more the knives of agony buried themselves in my skin, ripping out with no abandon, the more the nine-tailed beast…shrieked. Seconds passed, then minutes and with each passing moment it felt like a thousand nails were being hammered in my body. With each passing moment, the flailing energy in the depths of my soul dimmed, the resistance becoming weaker, the power dying away._

_That was my first encounter with the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Both of us, in the chambers of my soul, writhing on the ground and screaming to the heights of heaven and to the depths of hell._

_The Kyuubi's crimson chakra and that mysterious azure energy I'd used before._

_It was tearing me apart, destroying me and destroying my soul, no, eating my soul. And whatever it was doing to me, it was replicating to the Kyuubi. Or maybe it was because the demon fox was tied to my soul, courtesy of the Yondaime's seal. Back then I didn't know and I didn't care. As of this moment, I still don't._

_But I knew it was killing me. I wasn't a stupid child. I hadn't know about the Kyuubi, or the seal, or the reason why until much later._

_But I knew I was dying._

_To say the least it changed my life. _

_Kyuubi no Kitsune. The ninetailed demon. The unstoppable force._

_Uzumaki Naruto. The Jinchuruuki. The abandoned child._

_It was this day, our fates were sealed._

_And it was this day that changed my life forever._

_Was it for the better? I will never know._

_

* * *

_

There was silence in the dark room. The lightning flashed outside, slightly illuminating the contents of the room. There was no light. No movement. No sounds save ones of soft breathing and the hoarse sound of choking.

He coughed, the warm liquid in his throat dislodging and splattering in his mouth, dripping down his crimson colored lips. The coppery taste was so familiar and the spreading warmth so memorable, that he instantly recognized it as his own blood. He coughed again, this time the blood spurting from his lips to the floor beneath him.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Naruto rolled over, splaying over the floor, flat on his back. His hand brushed through the blood, smearing it across his clothes. His frame twitched, nerves beginning to relax before…before…

Pain racked his body.

He cried out, but the only thing that issued from his mouth was a large red bubble, working out from the trap of his lips. More pain. His body was being pulled apart, limb by limb…it felt so real… His back arched and he shot up, his throat working in a silent scream. More blood spewed out. Blonde hair matted to his head with sweat was tainted with thick claret colored liquid. Slowly the bubble grew bigger and with each moment the pain intensified. He tried to scream, but the pain yanked his body forward. The bubble burst and he was still for a moment, suspended. And then he fell, like a puppet cut from its strings, his frame shaking as his back hit the floor with an audible thud.

Pain. He felt so much…

He tried to move, tried to get any semblance of response from his aching limbs. Was he even alive?

His eyes cracked open, taking in the darkness and the faint outline of furniture.

Blood dribbled down his chin. Pain seared through his body. That should have been enough to tell him.

Naruto shuddered, his bones aching as he took in another raspy breath, the air rattling through what felt like a crushed windpipe. He struggled to remember where he was, what he was doing…what was going on... His lungs worked, pumping rapidly in an effort to transfer precious life giving air to the rest of his body.

'Where…'

His fingers curled, digging into his palm as another jolt of pain pierced through his chest. His nails broke the skin, red liquid seeping out from his pale hands. Naruto's vision went black. Darkness was the only thing real. He panicked, eyelids blinking up and down. There was a flash of lighting and a roar of thunder, but Naruto could see neither. Sweat dripped down his brow and he tried to move, struggling to regain his bearings.

'I can't see…I can't see!'

He brought a shaking hand up to eyes and rubbed furiously. Another wave of pain and he jerked, his body rolling on the floor. The pain subsided and his body relaxed, slumping to the wood floor. He tried to get to his hands and knees, his limbs creaking as they slowly stirred. There were white spots in his vision now and he blinked, trying to get them to fade away.

They did and afterwards, Naruto wished they hadn't.

There was a man slumped against the wall, black hair tainted with red. A red and white fan plastered against the ebony clothing he wore. Blood everywhere. Smeared across the floor, splashed against the white paint, splattered over the body. A massive hole straight through the chest. Slash marks. Blood. Blood. Blood.

It all came rushing back. The rain. The thunder. The lightning. Falling. His run through the city. The blue energy. Power. Speed. Force. The addiction. The need for more. A glowing azure. That pulling feeling on his whole body.

Her terrified eyes. The blood. The shadows. Her eyes…

The red. The fury. Anger. Hate. A burning crimson. Spinning black tomoe. A dull steel blade. Crackling scarlet energy.

Flesh. Tearing, ripping, piercing.

It all came back, the images assaulting his brain, quickly, rapidly, so fast…so unrelenting.

The massive hole. Blood gushing out.

Naruto's mouth opened and words began to form, tried to form. Heat rose in his body. He tried to keep it down, tried not to give in. His stomach heaved.

Vomit spilled from his lips.

'Did I…'

More images, flashing by now, each more gruesome than before. The pain rose from his stomach and liquid flooded his throat. It splashed out, covering the floor in its putrid smell.

'…do this…?'

The contents of his stomach were splattered over the wood now and he heaved in and out, trying to regain his breath. He could feel the heat rising and he stumbled back, face twisted in disgust.

There was a whimper behind him, a barely audible sound in the noiseless void of the room.

Naruto froze, head slowly inching around. He turned away cautiously from the blood coated floor. He was afraid…afraid of what he would see… Did he hurt her too? Was she okay? Did he…did he… Pictures flashed through his mind. His blue eyes swung upwards, away from the floor and to the other side of the room. He raised them carefully, fear in the back of his mind.

Shocked coal black irises stared back at him. Naruto felt the not in his stomach unwind, relief flooding his body. He let out a small sigh of content and began to pull his injured body toward her. Toward someone he knew that would take care of him. To safety. To sanctuary.

"Mikoto-san…"

She recoiled in horror, terror in her eyes.

Naruto froze, not understanding what was happening. He was closer now, closer to the other side of the room. He reached a hand out, fingers looking for salvation…to be saved by his angel. They were close…so close…

"Mikoto-san…"

A note of pleading was in his voice now. A note of hope…

'Please…not like everyone else…not like the rest…please…'

Mikoto scrambled back in fear, face morphed into a picture of abhorrence.

Blue eyes glossed over with emotion. Confusion. Shock. Betrayal.

'Why…?'

* * *

_It hurt me. _

_It hurt me when I saw the horror in her eyes. _

_I wanted to tear my heart out right then and there. _

_It hurt so bad._

_It hurt more than any physical pain. Any mental pain. It hurt more than anything. When I reached out…when I tried to touch her…when I tried…_

_When she recoiled back like…like…I was…a demon._

_Do you realize how much…I wanted to kill myself right then? When I saw the fear in her eyes? When I realized that was terrified…of me?_

_Do you know how much that crushed me? To realize she was just like everyone else? But I still had false hope…I still thought…that there was a chance…that there was something…some bond…some…_

_Do you know how fragile I was? _

_I begged. I pleaded. I actually __**begged**__ for something…begged for assurance that it wasn't like that…and that she wasn't afraid of me…that I was still her 'Naruto-chan'…_

_I put everything I was…everything I felt…everything I had into my trust for her. Into the bond we had._

"_Mikoto-san…"_

_And she broke it. She broke me._

_She was my safe haven. My sanctuary from the gritty reality of the world. I thought…I thought…she would be there for me._

_But when she rushed back…turned away from me…_

_I didn't feel shocked…no…I felt so…betrayed…so…dead…_

_I gave up._

_But I should've known. I should've known._

_Who could trust a demon? Who could care for a demon? Who? _

_And I got my answer from the only person who had ever cared me that deeply…_

_No one._

_No one could trust a demon. No one would touch a demon. No one could love a demon._

_And that's what I was._

_A fucking demon._

_

* * *

_

The rain poured down, the pitter patter growing louder with each passing second. Thunder roared overhead, lightning sparking a path through the darkness, crackling in its wake. Night was chaos, the elements raging through the black veil.

The streets were a mess, mud slopping over brick walkways and cement centers. Rain had flooded through the city, drowning out the roads, painting them brown with dirt.

He sloshed through the sludge dragging his feet through the water and the dirt. Pausing he looked back, feeling the pull of the mud, feet momentarily stuck in the deep foundations. With a wet 'shlick' he pulled his foot out, the coal black combat boots now covered in slime. He kept going.

The charcoal grey cloak around his body was matted down across his frame, the pounding rain having long since soaked it through. Precise and measure steps carried him through the falling droplets. Lightning struck before him and he stopped in mid stride, the flash illuminating the streets before him. He shook his head and the water dripped down across his vision, slipping off the brim of his hood.

He kept going.

The rain lashed around him, millions of drops battering his body and the road on which he stood.

His feet carried him farther…closer.

Incoming chakra signatures. He could feel them. Shadows played on the roofs of the building above as lightning struck again. Stepping into an alley he watched them go by, the military green covers sticking out like a sore thumb. Jounin vests. And a chuunin.

He hugged his cloak tighter, shoving his chakra output to bare minimum. Just enough to get by, just enough…

Crimson eyes swiveled in their sockets.

And Itachi knew he was close. He could feel it.

Since the initial surge of Kyuubi's chakra, he'd been searching for signs. Searching for any clues to where Naruto and his mother were. He'd blurred through almost half of the Uchiha compound already…searching.

And now he was close.

He'd covered more ground than the rest of the ninja prowling the complex. Time was of the essence. It was necessary. If someone found them first...

Itachi kept going, steps silent as he neared the objective, his cloak blending into the darkness around him.

After the residue of Kyuubi's chakra had disappeared, it was like the two of them had fallen off the face of the map. No chakra signature could be detected from either and it was like they had become ghosts. Dozens of shinobi had been attracted to the Uchiha compound and the members of the clan were up in arms. Thankfully, the Sandaime had been routing nin in different directions, or else this place would have been swarming with shinobi.

But already, Itachi must've passed three or four dozen…and if there were this many already. For a moment, Itachi feared the worst. If they were dead…if someone had hurt them…

He would bring divine wrath upon them.

Naruto was his charge. Mikoto was his mother.

He was closer now, his conscience telling him they were here.

A tall, two story building at the heart of the Uchiha sector. No lights on. No movement. No Life. Itachi walked closer, crimson eyes glowing beneath his hood.

The door of the building was before him. Shifting, he looked around, sharingan scanning the rooftops. Nothing. He reached out, seeking out stray chakra remains. None.

Itachi's fingers slipped into the crevice of the sliding door. He wrenched it open, tomoe spinning rapidly.

An empty hall met his burning pupils.

He stepped in, feet tapping lightly on the wood floors. Slowly he kept going, cloak dripping water on the floor. Step by step he walked on.

'They're closer now…'

Through the hall and into another room. Down another hallway and to a slightly ajar door.

'Here…'

He could hear the rain pounding outside and the feel the lightning crackling across the sky.

He pushed the door open and the putrid smell of blood, vomit and alcohol filled his nostrils. Itachi waved it off, stepped through the thresh hold and into the dark room.

He almost puked.

Straight and to the left a little lay his father, blood smeared across the wall and lying slumped, a massive hole punched through his chest.

His sharigan rolled around, taking in the rest of the room. To the left lay his mother. Beaten. Broken. Terrified.

To the right, closer to the center, lying against the wall, the small blonde child. Blood covered. Beaten. Broken. Lifeless. He walked closer, nearing the blue eyed kid. Itachi knelt, fingers touching the child's neck. A pulse. So much blood…so much…

'What…'

Itachi heard the door slam farther in the room. Too late for anything now… He stood, backing away from Naruto, coming to rest in the center of the room. He could feel the shinobi down the hall. Closer. They were outside. The door was open.

"What the fuck!"

"Mikoto-san!"

"Fugaku-sama!"

There was silence and Itachi waited for the inevitable. Footsteps. They crowded into the room.

His mother scurried past, pushing him lightly as she sought salvation with the three nin in the entrance. Someone called out to him.

"Itachi…step away from the demon boy."

That voice…

He glanced over his shoulder, head turning slightly to see his mother cowering behind Shisui and the two other shinobi. His gaze slid calmly in front of him, resting on the bloody, broken Naruto propped up against the wall. Ebony met cobalt. And he saw the dead look, the apathetic gaze… Where had all the life gone? Where was all the hope? Nothing but a sliver left, just a small bit in those blue eyes…

"No."

The three nin behind him were silent, letting the weight of his one word soak into them. The only sound between the four shinobi was the thunder roaring in the background and the pounding rain on the roof of the building.

Shisui stepped back, the other two following his lead and reached into his wet robes.

"Repeat that, Uchiha Itachi."

Itachi shifted and the three behind him tensed. His sharingan swiveled, the rotation speeding up.

He looked again at the blonde boy against the wall, blood smeared all around him. His eyes. The fire that had died. The life that had been extinguished.

What was more important, the life of a little boy or the honor of the Uchiha Clan? Orders from the Sandaime Hokage...or orders from the Uchiha Clan?

'Forgive me…'

He took a step back, away from Naruto and watched as the fire dimmed, watched as the hope was snuffed out. He could feel more incoming chakra signatures. The three shinobi in the entrance relaxed and Shisui stepped forward.

"Good choice Itachi…I'll be sure to mentio-"

He was a shadow in the dark. Blood sprayed through the air.

'…forgive me…'

No words were spoken. But that was just fine. He didn't really care. They wouldn't have prepared in time anyways. So he gave them a quick death. Three bodies slumped to the floor, right above the shivering form of his mother.

Itachi glanced at her once and stepped away, back into the room filled with so much death. He stepped closer to Naruto, noticing for the first time, how blue his eyes were.

'Pure…and untainted.'

Reaching down he picked Naruto up, hoisting his broken and bloody body into his arms. He stepped through the doorway once again and traveled through the building.

He left his mother cowering in the hallway.

There were more shinobi now. Each one eyeing the blonde boy clinging to him.

"Itachi! What are you doing? Wh-"

Blood tainted the air.

His spinning crimson eyes tracked the droplets.

"He killed your father! Why are you protecting him!"

More blood. It splattered onto his face. His blade spun through the air.

"I'll kill you Ita-"

His clothes were soaked now. The liquid was slowly dripping down the length of his body. The blonde boy in his arms shivered and squirmed.

Itachi walked into the rain, not caring about the falling bodies behind him.

"Itachi! You son of a bi-"

A voice from the ground. He didn't even look down. Cold steel ripped through flesh and the voice was no more.

The rain kept falling and the blood kept running.

* * *

_Sometimes, I wonder what would've happened had Itachi not shown up. _

_I wonder if I would've died. If I would've been torn apart, piece by piece by the Uchiha clan._

_And even now, I wonder why he did it._

_Was his obligation to me, more powerful than his obligation as a member of the Uchiha clan?_

_Was following orders more important than sparing the lives of sharingan wielders?_

_I'll never know. _

_All I know is that he saved me. He walked into the rain with me in his arms. He killed and he never looked back._

_He murdered for me…_

_No…murder wouldn't really fit._

_He massacred for me…_

_And for that, I am eternally grateful._

_

* * *

_

AN: What do you think? I'm back and I think this turned out pretty well… As always, pick out anything you see wrong and inform me of it… Read and review alright? On another note…I've recently noticed the influx of Naruto/Mikoto stories…and with the exception of a few…they're being butchered. I know I'm not one to pass judgment on what's good…but that shit is hurting my eyes and my brain… It gets even worse when you see them trying to cop on someone else's style…coughminecough and failing at it…but it's all good I guess…

Anyways, hope you all liked this. Thanks for all the support. Review! Hoping to break two hundred after next chap…


	7. Chapter 7

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Initial

* * *

_The old man was a perfectionist. From the moment I met him, sitting on the stairwell of my apartment, I knew. Even in old age he was smooth, deadly, immaculate. So it really was no surprise when he managed to patch it up. It was no surprise when suddenly, everyone forgot about __**it**__. About __**me**__. He managed to smooth it all out. Keep it hidden. Keep it safe. Keep it away from prying eyes. He managed to distract those curious enough to inquire, one way or another. He succeeded in covering it all up. He managed to hide the __**real**__ reason. He managed to hide __**me**__._

_He wasn't the Hokage for nothing._

_He loved me like a grandson. He tried his best to protect me, his best to shelter me from the pain and suffering of the world. He tried but ultimately failed. _

_So he did to the next best thing._

_In the aftermath of the Uchiha massacre, memories of me were slowly washed away from the public. Itachi became the center of attention. Itachi was the focus of ire. Itachi was on everyone's mind, a phantom lingering in the depths of their memories. He served as the scapegoat, the recipient of the village's hatred. He had slaughtered the Uchiha mercilessly, savagely. He had decimated his clan, sparing only two. He had wiped one of the most fearsome bloodlines off the face of the earth, without provocation, in less than an hour._

_He became a demon in the eyes of the people. A killer without remorse, or bonds, or compassion._

_But they really didn't know. Spiteful. Hateful. Ignorant. Fools. They didn't care either._

_No one remembered the blonde haired miscreant that wandered the streets. No one remembered the small child that ran from mobs. No one remembered the screams, the shrieks, the blood. No one remembered the blue eyed youth that begged for mercy as he was beaten. No one remember the demon child. Hell spawn. Demon filth. World's reject. No one remembered and no one cared._

_No one knew __**he**__, no one knew __**I**__, was the reason._

_The reason Itachi had killed. The reason he had slaughtered. The reason he had massacred. The reason for __**everything**__._

_Villagers forgot. Ninja forgot. The mind was a fragile thing…and the ones Hiruzen chose to let retain it were lucky._

_The memories of me faded into obscurity. _

_Perhaps that was the best thing Sarutobi had ever offered me._

_A new identity. A new life. I can't imagine how much it pained him. How much it killed him to let me go…to let things all fall in place. But he had to. For his sake. For Itachi's sake. For my sake. He gave me a blank slate, gave me a new chance. And that was something I had no intentions of passing up._

_

* * *

_

Tap. Tap. Splish.

The rain fell, drizzling, the continuous flow of drops splashing slowly around. It was dying down, the shower coming less and less, flurrying every so often. Soon the storm would be over and the rain would cease to fall. But for now…

A man shifted, weight coming to rest on his other leg. An aged and wrinkled hand reached out, sliding from the confines of wide robes, fingers flexing in their freedom. Slowly it rose, pelted by the precipitation falling around, water beginning to drip down the skin. The exposed flesh was dark, tan, weathered, a product of the life he had led. The red and white robes dropped down around the elbow as the hand ascended. It grasped the bridge of the figure's nose, a deep sigh rasping out from the confines of his lungs.

Onyx orbs stared down, taking in the scene. Clean deaths. Clean kills. Or they would've been if not for the blood, mud and water. It'd been a while since he'd seen something like this. Around him figures gathered, their forms moving quickly in the fading darkness. They struggled through the mud, picking through the bodies amassed on the dirt and stone roads. Some moved sluggishly, shocked by the scene around them, the madness that seemed to suffocate the compound affecting them dramatically. Others did their job like professionals, the blood and the death nothing new to them. But they all worked, all of them striving to clean the…mess, under the watch of the Sandaime Hokage.

'Itachi…I never expected you to go this far…'

Sarutobi glanced down again, looking away from the small pipe in his hands.

The cuts were smooth, precise, each measured with care, control, perfection. Each was meant to wound, meant to kill, meant to eliminate. There were no mistakes, no flaws. It was…

'Something I could do in my prime…truly you were skilled…'

There was a shuffle of feet on tile and the Sandaime's robes swished as he walked across the roof. His feet carried him onward as he took in deep breaths, sucking in the tobacco from the clay pipe stuck between his teeth. It was quiet in the compound now, the only sound being the shinobi clean up crews and the pitter patter of rain.

Sarutobi trudged on, tracing his path down the Uchiha compound, watching his nin do their silent work, unhindered by the villages people. It was still dark and the majority of the village had yet to awake. The sector had been closed off, ninja erecting barriers and working to cordon off the area. It would be detrimental if the people found out about the massacre too soon. Of course they would figure it out in the end, the sudden lack of an Uchiha filled police force would inevitably tip them off. But for now, Sarutobi wanted it kept a secret and he wanted to prevent the people from seeing the carnage and death that permeated the complex.

'To think...he did all of this…for Naruto…'

The death toll was incredible. Over two-hundred members of the Uchiha clan killed by one man…no, one teenager. Killed for the salvation of a broken child.

Sandaime puffed on his pipe a bit more, the smoke blowing out his nostrils. Of course no-one in the village knew the real reason. No shinobi, no villagers. The entire situation would be closed off until he chose for it to go public and the real truth would never be revealed. His ninja would keep their mouths shut, for they feared his retribution. The Uchiha Massacre would be hidden until the very last moment. It was in his hands.

At the moment, things were progressing as smoothly as possible and it seemed to be all under control.

His chosen few ANBU and loyal elites had been quick in following his orders and cutting off help arriving at the Uchiha compound. They had been instrumental in the escape of Itachi and Naruto. In a way, he himself and the ninja that had chosen to partake in the cover up, were all accomplices in the Uchiha massacre. His lips formed in a rueful smile and he chuckled sadly. They had prevented aid from arriving and had provided enough time for the two to escape.

But no one needed to know. And those that had partaken had agreed to a partial memory wipe by the Torture and Interrogation department.

Soon, the only people who would know the truth would be Naruto, Itachi, himself, one other and the Uchiha clan members. And of those mentioned, only six were alive. One, the leader of a ninja village. One, a missing nin. One, an abandoned child. One, the Torture and Interrogation department head. One, being affected mentally too much to understand what had been going on and the other…

Sandaime sighed, looking in the distance at the porch of a building surrounded by a dozen shinobi. Inside the small structure was the Interrogation head with a few trusted ANBU. They were in the process of questioning the Uchiha matriarch, Uchiha Mikoto. He had given them the go-ahead to begin interrogation more than an hour ago and they had yet to exit the premises.

'I suppose I should see what's going on then…'

Sarutobi's aged body began it's descent down the rooftops and toward the small building in the distance.

Step after step he took, pondering Itachi's escape. There was a familiar feeling of unease in his chest now, like a lead weight.

'By all means, I should have him tracked and executed. He did kill the entire Uchiha clan…'

His feet carried him closer.

'But then again…they were technically my orders. I said protect Naruto…and to Itachi if that meant killing the entire clan to do it…then he would…'

He felt the weight in his chest increase.

'…I inadvertently ordered the death of the entire Uchiha clan…'

He inhaled deeply from his pipe.

'Even with the evidence I had to suggest…dark dealings within the clan…killing over a hundred shinobi was a severe dent in our forces. There will be a serious repercussion for this…'

Sarutobi continued on, the feeling in his chest beginning to fade as the smoke permeated his lungs.

'But if this means...that I can redeem at least one of my failures…that I can make up for one of my mistakes…'

He was standing in front of the building now; ignoring the curious stares of his ninja.

'Even if I have to force the answers out of the only ones still living…'

He was still for a moment, his eyes downcast.

'If this means that I can give him a better life…'

Hiruzen gripped the edge of the door and pushed it open.

'If this means that he will have a brighter future…that he will be in better hands…'

His robes swished against the floor as he stepped through the threshold.

'Then I would gladly do it all over again.'

His footsteps echoed against the wood as his glistening eyes adjusted to the sudden light.

'Good luck…Naruto.'

* * *

A scream echoed out in the small chamber.

"He…he killed him!"

The figure in the corner of the room wailed, her feminine scream a sudden shock to the system.

"I can't believe he killed him…I can't believe it…I can't believe it…Fugaku…Naru..to…"

Her screamed faded into a whisper and she began to talk to herself, black strands of hair falling about her face.

The three shinobi watching the woman straightened, attention suddenly snapping to the corner of the room. They listened, waiting for another outburst. But her words had had now faded into soft nonsensical whispers. Backing away slowly, the three shinobi exited the soundproof room, closing the door softly behind them, as to not startle their subject. The shared a look and waited for one to break the silence.

The man in the middle released a long drawn out sigh, his blonde hair dipping down across his face.

"Looks like she's finally out of her stupor."

He walked over to the table in the corner and grabbed a bottle from the top of the wood grain. The two other shinobi followed behind him, quietly awaiting his verdict. The blonde ninja seated himself, twisting open the cap to the bottle and took a swig. Settling himself into a clearly relaxed position, he faced his two younger peers.

"To be honest, I didn't expect a reaction this soon."

He glanced at the two other ninja, waiting for one of them to respond. When neither did, he continued to talk.

"A trauma victim usually doesn't exit shock for a while, certainly not enough to talk about what actually happened. It's only been a few hours and I'm quite surprised."

The blonde took another swig of the contents in the bottle. One of the ninja in front of him stirred, looking across the room and through the glass to the other side. Toying with the bandanna around his head, he spoke up.

"Do we even know what really happened? We haven't tried to question her yet and this is the first thing she's said. We need more information."

The blonde looked at him, taking another sip of his drink.

"You're right Ibiki, but she's not in the condition for anything right now. Conventional methods aren't going to work and I really can't go into her head at this point. So we just have to deal with what we have."

The blonde turned, addressing the other nin who had stood and was leaning against the wall.

"Kakashi, you were the first here after Itachi…escaped. What did it look like?"

The silver haired ANBU was still; his posture slouched and relaxed as he leaned against the wall. His standard issue mask was off, but the cloth one was still on. For anyone else it would have been extremely hard, if not impossible to tell his emotions, but to the two top interrogation experts in Konoha, his expressions were on display for all to see.

"Well, Inoichi…there was blood. A lot of it. More than I've seen in a while."

Kakashi shook his head, sighing.

"And it was from all three of them. Mikoto, Fugaku and Naruto. Their scents were so mixed, I couldn't really pick anything up. The air was just…saturated with blood. Mikoto was lying in a pool of blood, staring at Fugaku, in shock I presume."

He shrugged, silver hair waving as he moved.

"I brought her to Ibiki after that…and that's about it."

Inoichi sighed in frustration, his hands brushing through his hair.

"So, basically we have nothing to work with."

He looked at his two peers, one shrugging and the other raising an eyebrow. The blonde sighed, reaching for his drink.

"One of us should probably inform Hokage-sama. He would want to know about this."

The entrance to the building banged open, almost as soon as Inoichi had spoken and the sound of rain falling outside reached their ears. They craned their necks and looked down the hall, watching swishing robes over the wood floor. In entered the Sandaime, his presence coming with a rush of cold air.

"No need Inoichi. I'm already here."

Sarutobi's deceptively calm voice caused the shinobi present to snap to attention. It was cold, crisp and filled with an underlying annoyance.

"Tell me what I want to hear Inoichi. Tell me that you've been able to work with her to give me answers. Tell me that **something** has gone right in this ordeal."

The three younger shinobi exchanged uneasy glances.

"Well…Hokage-sama…she hasn't been resp-"

The aged ninja raised his hand, silencing Inoichi.

"I see… You three, I hereby declare you to class SS secrecy. This stays between us. Inoichi, I authorize the use of special Yamanka mind walking techniques to bring the truth to my eyes. I want answers and I want them now. I want my orders justified. I want results."

Sarutobi took a deep breath.

'There will be political repercussions for this…'

He turned to the scarred interrogator and the ANBU captain in the corner.

"Ibiki, assist Inoichi. Kakashi, begin to round up the ANBU in the district save for those guarding the entrances to the compound. Their co-operation is vital. I want this under wraps and controlled. Nothing comes in or out without my approval.

He watched their stunned expressions turn into faces of determination as each set about to do their task.

'But for you Naruto…it's the least I could do.'

* * *

"Are you awake, Naruto?"

The rain had died down, now a mere drizzle falling lightly on the world. The darkness had begun to fade, light peeking in over the horizon, lancing down through the trees. One figure hurdled through the forest, passing through the foliage at speeds unfathomable to a normal human. The scenery sped by, but the man had no time to stop and admire the view. Time waited for no one, and he was no exception.

His hands gripped the small bundle clutched in his arms, fingers curling protectively around the slightly shivering body. Blonde hair poked out from the layers of clothing that he had wrapped around the beaten and bloody child.

The young man began to slow down, afraid now that his charge wasn't responding.

'I'm sure those medical jutsu I used were enough…'

Frowning, with a sense of trepidation creeping up in him, he halted completely. Leaning up against a tree, he caught his breath as he slowly unwrapped the bundle of clothing he had hastily put together. For a few moments he fumbled, pulled aside the last fold and was met with the most brilliant set of blue eyes staring at him. But there was something wrong.

'No life…his will…is broken…'

Slowly he sank to the ground, placing the small blonde gently in front of him.

"Naruto..."

He wasn't really good with things like this. He'd never had many friends and he certainly hadn't been very social. Itachi ran a hand through his hair, staring at the blue eyed boy.

'How do I relate to him? How do I connect?'

He took a deep breath pushed himself up.

'How am I, Uchiha Itachi going to pull this off?'

"Naruto…do you trust me?"

There was no response. The blonde haired boy was silent. Itachi watched him.

"I've been protecting you for the majority of my life…under the Hokage's command."

He wasn't good with these emotions…this conflict swirling in him. But he saw it, Naruto suddenly had bit of life in him.

"Sandaime's last orders to me were to protect you."

Naruto started, a spark entering his features, glancing up slowly at Itachi.

"Jiji…"

Itachi looked at him, coal black eyes piercing into his own glistening azure.

"I intend to fulfill those orders until my dying breath."

Naruto's breathing hitched as Itachi moved closer. Moments passed, but it felt like an eternity to the young blonde. And suddenly, Itachi was crouching in front of him

"You are my charge. My responsibility. I have to ensure you survive."

The Uchiha teen reached a hesitant hand out, placing it gently on Naruto's shoulder. The blonde's blue eyes widened, filling with panic momentarily. What if this was a lie? What if this was all a ruse? It was too good to be true… The blonde boy was flooded with feeling of uncertainty and spoke out in an unused, raspy voice.

"I…I…don't know."

Itachi was silent and Naruto felt as if the older boy was looking into his soul, searching for something, trying to gauge him, analyze him. Itachi's lips twitched, as if he was searching for the right words. Then he spoke in a calm, low voice.

"We'll go wherever you want Naruto. The world is yours now. This life is yours now. It can't be taken away. You tell me what **you** want to do."

Naruto hesitated, biting his lip as he looked at the ground, unable to maintain Itachi's gaze. He wanted it to be true so bad, so, so bad. And yet he was afraid…what if he broke his trust like she did? What if he abandoned him like she did? He didn't want to feel that pain, ever, ever again. But…but…he didn't want to let this go…let this chance slip away…

His lips opened and he looked up at the young Uchiha teen.

"I…I wanna get away…"

Itachi looked at the small boy, noting the fear, the respect, the insecurity, etched into every fixture of his posture. He wavered for a moment and then took a deep breath, gently squeezing Naruto's shoulder.

"We will."

* * *

_And with that, my life changed forever. _

_If Mikoto had been my angel…_

_Then Itachi was my god. _

_I became attached to the him. Because he __**saved**__ me. Not just in a physical sense…but in an emotional one. Ironic…Uchiha Itachi saving me emotionally…but you can't have imagined how grateful I was…_

_And for the next part of my life, he was a constant. He was something I'd never had before. A friend. A companion. A teacher. _

_He was there._

_For me._

_

* * *

_

AN: So…here I am. It's been a while and I apologize for that. I'll try to get the next chapter out this month. Thanks to all the lovely readers who reviewed for the last chapter. My apologies to all those I never responded to. I seem to not have a lot of time on hand, as you can see by my chronically late updates. Anyways, Sandaime is trying to wrap things up in Konoha (it was a little Sarutobi-centric, I know) and Itachi and Naruto begin a new life. This chapter and possibly the next will draw an end to this arc of the story. As always, point out anything you see wrong and I'll get to it. Review!


	8. Chapter 8

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Imprint

* * *

_If you could see me now. If only, if only. How much I've changed since then. A broken, lonely, utterly destroyed child. Slowly trying to be pieced together by a calm and calculating Uchiha. A pair of forsaken souls left to wander in oblivion. The chaos of the world left behind for something so much more pure and untainted. That's what it was. That's what we wanted. That's what we strived for…_

_Things are so much more different now._

_I'm so much more different now. _

_He's so much more different now._

_My experiences with Itachi shaped me into something better, something sharper, something stronger. They shaped me into a worthy shinobi, a worthy guardian, a worthy human. Itachi was someone who made me feel wanted, who made me feel like I belonged somewhere. He made sure to help me in whatever way he could. He was there when no one else was. He would lay his life on the line for me, something I'd seen in only a few other people. Itachi, made me feel…alive…_

_Those were some of the best years of my life._

_And to think it all started because of her…_

_

* * *

_

The sun was setting over the oceans. The waters sparkled, light glancing off the blue-green surface. There were no clouds in the sky and the dying sun's rays reached the cliffs, basking them in an orange red light.

Two pairs of eyes sat on the cliff side, gazing out over the orange tinted waters. There will still and silhouetted in the light, their shadows falling on the small cabin behind them. A cabin by the sea. Paradise sometimes. Out on the borders of the continent and away from the prying eyes of curious passerby's and searching travelers, it was an ideal getaway.

A perfect place for a new start.

The smaller of the two figures shifted, nestling into the side of the other, lazily relaxing in his place. There was more shifting, burrowing into position and the small figure slowly melted into the side of the slim man. The taller of the two held his place, wondering what his companion was doing. Contact like this was rare…rare for him and the other. It was almost non existent…

Slowly, a pair of eyes the color of the ocean closed, dozing off in the light of the setting sun. The small figure's face was a picture of serene contentment.

Uchiha Itachi's shadow fell protectively over the undersized child next to him. A tiny, but sad smile fluttered to his face as he watched the blonde child sleep.

Naruto was adjusting quite well.

A few weeks in isolation had done him good. The empty look that had once filled his dead blue eyes was gone, replaced by a guarded gaze of curiosity. It wasn't much, but it was a start. One thing that Itachi hadn't been able to figure out was Naruto's aversion to ninja techniques. Whenever the young Uchiha prodigy would perform a technique, the blonde would clam up and refuse to talk or even move.

Itach had sought to rectify that, if Naruto ever wanted to be a ninja, he would have to get over the fear… But, now, he didn't even know if Naruto wanted to be a shinobi anymore. And he didn't want to take the risk of spooking Naruto too much. The progress he'd made cost too much to let a trivial matter like jutsu get in his way.

It was an interesting predicament, to say the least.

A few weeks had changed them both.

Naruto had let his hair down, metaphorically and literally, the seemingly unmovable spikes of blonde now just strands falling across his face. Itachi had thought it was an improvement and after a bit of hand grooming by the rebel Uchiha, he had morphed Naruto into a better looking young child.

Itachi was proud of his handy work. After all, not many male ninja had the skill with cosmetics he did…right?

All that mattered was that Naruto had liked it. And that was good enough for the stoic teen.

Stretching, Itachi watched the sleeping form of the small blonde child.

Things had been going smooth so far. But it was just the beginning. Naruto was still a kid…and needed the guidance of a mature adult to show him the way.

For once in his life, Itachi was slightly panicked.

How was he even supposed to handle this? It was like having his own kid…except Naruto was an even more fragile and delicate case. He wasn't even an adult himself, how was he supposed to raise a child?

And on top of that, they couldn't stay here for long. A few more weeks maybe. He wasn't worried about retaliation from Konohagakure, the Sandaime would keep everything on wraps. But soon, news of the Uchiha massacre would reach far beyond Konoha's borders and then enemy ninja would be on the prowl, seeking either to detain Itachi, or test their powers against such a prodigy. They would be flocking to Fire Country, or anywhere they thought he would be. The teen wasn't worried about his fate. If he was alone, he could easily handle them.

But Naruto…if they found the small blonde and discovered he was the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune…

Things would not be pleasant to say the least. Torture. Interrogation. Death.

And Itachi would not allow that to happen. He would give his own life to ensure that Naruto survived. To ensure that the Sandaime's last orders to him were fulfilled. And in the scenario that Itachi sacrificed himself to kill the people after them, to destroy superior numbers, how would Naruto survive? A broken child… Watching his last protector die before him would shatter him permanently.

Itachi…wasn't so sure about their fate anymore.

But he would make it work. One way or another.

Itachi glanced down at the sleeping figure of Uzumaki Naruto, and watched as the light sea breeze caressed his face, driving his locks of blonde hair about.

The light reflected in his coal black eyes.

It would be hard…but they would make it.

* * *

The night life in Konoha had taken full swing.

Darkness had come and fallen upon the citizens of the village. The night patrons were working and their customers were about, milling in the streets. The half moon was obscured by low clouds and the ninja around patrolled in silence, thankful for an uneventful night. They moved in shadows, regulating the city as their leader saw fit.

Deeper into the city, the heart of Konoha's administration was in uproar. Yells, murmurs, insults and squabbling. Typical of any sort of bureaucracy.

And Hatake Kakashi had the pleasure of witnessing it all.

The great debate was one of major importance and had spanned most of the afternoon. The sharingan. Naturally, as a carrier, Kakashi was 'privileged' to be there to have any tiny say in the matter. But the futures of the last two, loyal, living Uchiha's had been glossed over and replaced in favor of a brand new topic. One that had no place to be discussed in the general public of the Konoha council. None at all.

Kakashi sighed, watching the events before him unfold. The council had been arguing with the Hokage for the past hour and a half concerning the fate of Uchiha Itachi. And to be honest, things were getting a little to tense for him.

The council was arguing as if they actually had power. This was a military nation. The Hokage was the dictator. There was no room for argument. Not with a shinobi who could behead you himself in the blink of an eye.

Fools. All of them.

The bandaged man in the middle more than the others.

"Hokage-sama, I must protest. Having Uchiha Itachi on the loose is too much of a risk! He must be eliminated!"

Kakashi watched the expression on Danzo's face. He was livid and yet the Sandaime Hokage patiently watched the old war hawk spew his venom. There were more words, the council arguing amongst themselves and working into a frenzy.

Danzo was out of his seat now and looked ready to kill. The ANBU in the room tensed and Kakashi's hand slowly edged toward his head band.

The Sandaime leveled the bandaged man with a glare filled with killing intent and watched the war-hawk wilt like a dead flower.

"And what would you have me do Danzo? Itachi killed a whole clan of sharingan wielders. Would you have me send out shinobi that stand no chance against the likes of Itachi? Would you have me send them to their deaths in a fruitless endeavor?"

The Hokage's words were like ice and even standing across the room, Kakashi could feel the tension and anger among the council members. They were frozen. But Danzo had more to say. And he did so, spittle flying.

"You old fool Sarutobi! Do you think that letting someone like Uchiha Itachi roam free is better? He is a weapon and should be brought back, something like th-"

Killing intent drowned the room. The council crumpled in their seat, looking at Sarutobi with something akin to fear. It wasn't often the old man unleashed...his wrath.

"Silence!"

The pressure increased and the ANBU in the room broke out in cold sweat. Even Kakashi was feeling a little uncomfortable as he stood to the side, watching the reactions of the council. Hiruzen spoke, every syllable colder than the next.

"You **forget** your place Danzo. I am the Hokage and you will abide by my judgment. The hunt for Uchiha Itachi will never happen. And if I ever find out you have gone against my direct orders…"

The killing intent spiked a little again. The Sandaime wasn't playing around. A few weaker members of the council gave out, slouching down in their chairs, will broken. In the center of the room, Danzo stood, silent and struggling as he glared at the Sandaime. Opposition had been eliminated for now. The occupants of the room had been reminded why the old man was still Hokage.

"…I will personally **end** you."

The pressure was lifted, leaving the council gasping for breath. The ANBU quickly re-gained their composure and stood on watch.

Danzo was motionless in front on the Hokage, his breathing a little heavier and his only remaining arm twitching. His one eye was narrowed with anger as he tried to muster a suitable comeback at the Sandaime Hokage. None came.

'You may have won this time monkey…but I will not accept this defeat so easily…'

Sarutobi watched as the old war hawk struggled to reign in his emotions. He could already see the wheels turning in his head, could see the plot already forming.

'What are you planning Danzo? What is it that you want…the sharingan perhaps?'

The Hokage turned to the rest of the nin in the room and scoffed.

"This…meeting…is over. ANBU, show these councilors to the door and escort them from the premises."

He turned to the silver haired jounin in the back, giving him a slight nod. The copy-nin gave a non-verbal reply and his slouched form disappeared in a swirl of leaves. The Sandaime watched as the councilors filed out from the room, his masked guardians surrounding them.

Slowly, the last of them trickled out murmuring as they did. Danzo was the last one to leave, flanked by two grey uniformed ANBU.

"I disagree with you on this Sarutobi…you will not hear the last of this from me…mark my words, your judgment is a mistake."

Before he could continue the ANBU ushered him unceremoniously out. The door slammed shut.

Sarutobi released a long drawn out sigh.

'I'm getting too old for this…Danzo is not fool…he will have to be put down…and whatever plot he has in mind found out…'

Reaching into his long robes, the Sandaime pulled his pipe, anticipating smoke filled lungs. But it was not to be. There was a knock on the door and the old man let out a groan. He paused, feeling out the chakra signatures on the other side. With a reluctant sigh, he laid the pipe on the table and called out.

"Come in…"

The door opened with a creak and the three shinobi waiting outside filed in.

The Sandaime eyed the three nin, giving them a long practiced stare.

"So…Ibiki…Inoichi…Kakashi…what do you have to report…on Mikoto Uchiha?"

* * *

Naruto sat on the steps of the small wood cabin, his eyes fixed on the ocean below. The winds were back up and in the darkness, he sat, the breeze brushing his black and grey clothing and whipping his blonde hair around.

He thought.

It was something that people thought Uzumaki Naruto never did. A child like that? Impossible. He's always on the move, too busy to think. People had always seen him as a loud, boisterous child. Energetic. Annoying. But they never stopped and pondered the notion…that he could **think**.

It was something the small blonde child did often. And it was something he did quite well.

With the wind in his ears and the moon reflecting off the black surface of the water far below, Naruto sat and thought.

'What now…?'

It was weird. A new chance. A new life. A new…beginning.

It was all so very strange. It was like a puzzle, a maze, a riddle. Like a challenge.

But Uzumaki Naruto liked challenges.

He was still trying to put it all together in his mind. Everything that had gone on…Itachi, their flight, Konoha…her…

Naruto clutched his head, hands burying themselves into his long blonde tresses. It hurt. It hurt so bad. It wasn't fair. Why…why did it all have to happen to him? How come he couldn't have a normal life...? How come he couldn't be accepted…? How come she…

It wasn't fair.

And every time he thought about it, it all came rushing back. And he struggled to keep it at bay. The blood…the smell…the feeling…that…power.

That blue and red power.

The center of his mysteries. The focus of his mind power. What was that mysterious energy? What was that…addicting feeling…?

He'd seen people use it before, men and women. Shinobi. He'd seen Itachi use it…but...this was different. So unrefined. So pure. Theirs was tainted, used. Dirty. Only Itachi's seemed to be a bit better, but even the teen's energy made Naruto recoil in shock.

He didn't know what it was and no one had the same power. So, Naruto reasoned that he'd have to find out…by bringing it out himself. He'd have to risk it…even under Itachi's watchful eyes and senses. Good thing he was sleeping.

In the dark, the blonde closed his eyes…and searched. Deep, deep within him. Looking, pulling and prodding. He felt it…the power deep within him. And he went for it. And grabbed.

In the dark, Naruto began to glow and a small circle of power rippled from him.

Inside the small cabin, Itachi awoke with a start. Immediately alert he leapt from his bed and onto the carpeted surface of the cabin floor. Glancing over, his worst fears were realized. Naruto's bed was empty.

'Naruto…where's Naruto?'

Sliding toward the door, he wrenched it open, sharingan flashing into existence…and stopped.

Naruto was covered in blue energy, swirling like a maelstrom around his body, calm and deadly. It was an intoxicating sight and one that Itachi held his breath for, just watching. Slowly, Naruto raised his hand and Itachi watched as the chakra like substance…danced.

The blonde's hand was filled with blue energy and he watched it ripple across his fingers, small rivulets pouring off the tips and disappearing into wisps.

Itachi stared with wide eyes.

Naruto watched impassively, letting the feeling wash over him, the euphoria sending him into bliss. It was…heaven…for a brief moment…

And then he crashed. The energy…shorted out and brought it all back. He cried out in pain, the sudden shock rocking his small body. Itachi leapt from his place in the cabin doorway.

The blue drops of energy pouring off Naruto's skin dissipated, sucking back into the blonde's body, bringing with them all the sorrow, all the horror…all the pain.

He broke. Down…down…down…

Itachi was by his side in an instant.

The Uchiha prodigy looked on, shocked and confused. What…was going on? Naruto was hurt…emotionally…physically…mentally…and he needed someone. Itachi was hesitant at first, unsure of what to do. He'd never really done this before…not recently at least. But…Naruto needed it. Mind made up, with steady, but inexperienced hands, he wrapped his arms around the shivering, quaking form of the small blonde child. He felt him tense, ready to bolt like a terrified animal, but he held him firm.

"S-shhh…it's okay Naruto…it's okay."

And in the arms of Uchiha Itachi, the emotionless prodigy…

Naruto cried.

* * *

He laughed, a long drawn out sound in the distance.

In the dark of the night, two slit yellow eyes watched from afar, hidden from sight. The figure nestled in the shadows that seemingly pooled around him, masking his presence. He chuckled, watching the display of power and the heart wrenching moment before him, inwardly scoffing at the emotions on display. Grinning, his reptilian like orbs swiveled to the lone Uchiha on the cabin steps.

"You've gone soft Itachi-kun…"

A long tongue poked its way out of his mouth, testing the air.

"…too soft maybe…"

The figure watched the last of the blue energy dissolve off Naruto, his yellow eyes narrowing in contempt at the sight of the blonde.

"Hmm…the jinchuruuki of the Kyuubi…"

Sitting back, the figure fingered the hilt of his blade, long digits sliding along the hard, toned metal.

"…no matter what impressive power…"

He tested the edge, relishing the pain, letting his blood drip down the steel.

"… will have to be eliminated...no matter what others say."

The man stood, the robes around his figure swishing in the salty sea breeze. The black cloak drifted around his feet, hanging low on his body.

"It's too bad you killed off your clan Itachi-kun…"

His tongue fluttered out again, long pink appendage twisting in the air.

"…my experiments were only beginning."

There was an evil grin on his face now, sharp fang like teeth showing in the moonlight.

"But no worries…"

The shadows converged upon him.

"Kukukuku…soon Itachi-kun, your eyes will be…**mine**…"

* * *

AN: I'm back. Yup. School is out for the summer, so that equals update. This is a transition/initiation chapter to the new arc. Not as good as I wanted it to be…but…meh. As you can see, I'm wrapping things up in Konoha...and well, you can obviously get the rest. Next chapter leads to some conflicts, so stay tuned. And if you haven't already, drop by and read my one-shot _Masks_. As always, point out anything you see wrong and I'll get to editing. Thanks.

p.s: I might need a beta.

Ninja-edit: chapter edited on the 20th of June on the advice of reviewers. some scenes changed to make the story flow better.


	9. Chapter 9

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Power

* * *

_I learned many things in my childhood. Intentional or otherwise. I learned and committed them to memory. I thought they'd be valuable, whether I actually understood or not. The most important things I still cherish today._

_I learned of death. The shadows that flowed in the darkness around my apartment and the ninja that protected me. The bodies that fell, kunai embedded in their foreheads and the blood that splattered over my room walls. _

_I learned of trust. Hard earned and hard kept. The smoke spiraling from the tip of a pipe, wafting in the air. The wrinkled face of a kind and loving old man. The smiling visage of a chef and his daughter. A steaming bowl of ramen and the warmth of a fire._

_I learned how quickly trust could be broken. Cold lashing out at exposed skin. An old woman yelling hoarsely into the night. A small bloody blonde limping down the alley. Smooth arms wrapped around a slim waist. Tickling breath around a neck and soft words whispered into an ear. A gasp and a rejection. Terror and fear in a pair of eyes._

_I learned of love. Something bonded quite closely to trust. A pair of teasing lips. A finger tracing skin, lightly touching. A set of cold black eyes. A single arm wrapped around a broken body. Red pupils spinning and a helping hand. Snow and hot springs. A soft caress against hot skin and a subtle nudge. An innocent touch. An innocent kiss._

_I learned of good and evil. And the non-existent difference between them. Wild power, lashing around and a beastly snarl. Blood. Lots of blood. Two yellow slit eyes and a snake like tongue. Steel flashing and life being taken. Black and red swishing softly in the night. _

_These things have shaped me. _

_And these things have broken me._

_I've learned that they can mean everything. And that they can mean nothing. That I can depend on each and that in the moment of my need, they will all be fleeting memories._

_I tasted all of these things before Itachi took me away. By all means, I wasn't finished with them. Far from it. But for the moment they were put on hold. Itachi's teachings were a priority. And one of the first things I learned from him…was power._

_And what it meant. And what it could do._

_

* * *

_

She stared.

And stared. And stared. And stared.

And screamed.

She could see the blood. The squirts of crimson reflecting on the floor, the gushing geysers of red spraying into the air.

She could smell it. The putrid odor of vomit and waste. The coppery tang of blood.

She could hear it. Hear it more than her own scream, hear it more than the shrill sound that pierced the air. The silence. And in the silence, his voice, low and broken…calling for her. She could hear the gasp, her gasp. She could feel the recoil, feel the terror and uncertainty.

She remembered. His face, a look of betrayal plastered over his innocent features. A brief glimpse of pain and sadness before it all shattered.

And she saw that moment a million times over. Her mind replayed each and every sense, every moment, flashing it before her eyes. Torturing her.

It was more torment than even Ibiki could ever hope to accomplish.

And it was terrible.

Mikoto struggled on the plush floor of her celled room. Her legs ached, curled up against her chest as she rocked back and forth on the white padding. She had tried to stand once before, tried to make some sense of her surroundings, but it was no good. She'd given up, her legs folding under her own weight as she collapsed back down, whimpering softly.

Now, she was backed up in the corner of the spacious room, staring blankly ahead. Her eyes were dead, but her face was folded in a frown.

"I…I…"

Her whisper was like glass breaking, a smashing of the thick silence in the room. The words that issued from her lips were erratic, soft and loud at the same time.

"…I didn't want to hurt…"

She relived it again. The scent, his blonde hair matted down with blood, the glint of steel in the lightning, the chakra surging…and the anger in his eyes…the anger and the terror and the intimidation and the ferocity. His eyes looked so different then, his chakra lashing out around him…his eyes glowing…red…

Like a demon's…

Mikoto shivered.

Like the Kyuubi's…

It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Not at all. Things weren't supposed to devolve into chaos…they weren't supposed to fall apart…not like that…

But they did.

"…Not him…"

Her lips moved but she couldn't hear her words, mind already lost in a stream of thoughts.

"…He didn't deserve it…"

She could still see the look on his face…and she could feel the pain in her chest come back, the invisible hand that wrapped itself around her lungs and heart and squeezed. It was like then, when she had quickly been overwhelmed by a sense of panic…a sense of fear as she had stared in his red and blue slit eyes.

"…He wasn't supposed to hurt…"

Had she betrayed? Had she abandoned? Had she lied? Had she…

She clutched her head, the questions swirling like a vortex in her mind. It was too much, too large to wrap her mind around. She couldn't think of it, couldn't think **him**. Not those innocent eyes turned violent, that calm face morphed into a snarl.

Instead, she saw cold black eyes, deep circles of black underneath and crow's feet. Her oldest. Her son.

Mercilessly stepping over rapidly cooling bodies. Blood falling from the tip of his blade. Sharingan spinning wildly. Crimson liquid splattered over his clothes. Blonde hair a stark contrast to his dark clothes. One arm tucked under a small body of a little boy.

Naruto in **his** arms.

That's what struck her. That shook her. Shook her more than Fugaku, more than anything. Itach and Naruto. That's when she froze up, eyes wide. The feelings she had experienced were a convoluted mess. Anger. Fear. Jealousy. Something she shouldn't have felt, something that was so foreign, so unneeded and yet undeniably there.

The small blonde, broken child in the arms of her emotionless, cold son, both silhouetted in a flash of lightning. She could see it. Could feel the bodies fall around, her son's footfall around her.

Itachi, calmly walking from the room. Yells, screams, gurgles. Death on every corner. She didn't see Itachi kill them all. Didn't see how he cut down every single person that even glanced at the small blonde nestled in his arms. Didn't see the murderous look in his eyes or the cold indifference etched on his face as they begged for their lives. She didn't see him kill them all but she sure saw every single one of them dead in a pool of their own blood.

Why? That was the only thing she could ask. It was the only thing that filtered from her shocked brain. Why? Why? Why? Why Naruto? Why Itachi? Why **her**? There was no answer.

And the question hung in her mind. Festering, building up and straining. Killing her inside, tearing her thoughts into tiny pieces.

Mikoto shifted on the floor of the room, her fingers still latched firmly around her head. Things had spun out of control, happening too fast and too soon. It wasn't the long fall, but the sudden stop that had jolted her to her state of shock. And she needed to recover, quickly. The matters at hand wouldn't settle themselves and the fate of the remaining three Uchiha's needed to be seen to.

She needed to know, needed to find out what was going on, what had happened to Itachi…was **he** okay…?

"…please…please…."

Her words came out clear, and for the first time, she could hear herself through the white noise in her mind.

'Naruto…'

But as quickly as the haze had gone, it came back, ten fold, blocking out her thoughts. Slowly she began to fade back into shock, eyes glazing over. Her eye lids fluttered, taking in the surroundings for a brief moment before she fell into unconsciousness.

She dreamt of betrayal. Of death. Of love. And of two pairs of eyes, one onyx and one sapphire.

From behind a glass covering, Ibiki watched in interest. Sitting in a hard back wood chair, he folded his hands, calmly observing the near hysterical woman. He turned to his blonde companion, eyebrow arched.

"What do you think she means Inoichi?"

The Yamanaka standing next to him shook his head, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his eyes.

"Regret perhaps…something happened between the three of them that wasn't supposed to. She's maybe feeling regret that it happened…or regret that it ended. My mind walking didn't really help. She's so broken and I've only begun to piece things back together."

The two shared a contemplative silence. In the blocked off holding cell, they watched Mikoto Uchiha. Ibiki had commandeered an empty room in the depths of ANBU headquarters and furnished it for holding the Uchiha matriarch. Down there, they would not be disturbed, few people knowing how to reach them, much less having the clearance. Only they, Kakashi and the Sandaime had access that far.

The buzzer sounded down the hall. Ibiki grunted.

"Probably Kakashi…he shows up whenever he's not on a mission. He should know we can't get anything like this yet. Her mind is broken and we've only been able to get glimpses. Even your mind-"

Ibiki interrupted.

"Hokage-sama should just give us the go to use full interrogation on her."

The door behind them opened.

"Urgent message…"

Ibiki responded, not moving from his spot.

"What is it Kakashi? We're kind of busy."

Inoichi snorted and behind them, Kakashi let out a muffled laugh. He walked into the room.

"How's it going?"

Inoichi rose.

"Her mind is broken, and needs to be re-assembled quickly. I need more time."

Kakashi turned grave.

"Time is something we might not have."

His attitude turned completely serious. The two interrogators looked up, the unusual tone in Kakashi's voice enough of a hint.

"Last night the Sandaime received an urgent message from the Daimyo and as a result Hokage-sama has issued an emergency meeting…apparently…the other shinobi nations have discovered the Uchiha massacre. Border patrol intercepted an unmarked shinobi heading toward Iwa…and the capital is asking a lot of questions about how valuable information like this could have been leaked about how something like this could have even happened. We need to be there to play crowd control…immediately. They've been hounding him."

Ibiki rose from his chair, his trench coat brushing the floors, scarred face curled into a frown.

"It's to be expected. The absence of a couple hundred Uchiha would not be missed. We'd be fools to think that. And ANBU could only keep things locked down for so long. But…it's only been a day…"

Kakashi ran a hand through his silver hair, one visible eye turned down.

"That's what I thought too…and for the Daimyo to get involved. For this to reach far, far beyond the capital? It's quite a surprise and unheard of."

Inoichi started toward the door, flicking his hair back.

"Whatever it is and whatever happened, I'm willing to bet there will be major consequences for this. We haven't found anything we didn't know already…and that might hurt us."

The three of them turned and walked down the hall. Kakashi looked back at the glass window to Mikoto's cell.

"Hokage-sama needs us. We better get going. I have a feeling we're not going to like this at all. The council will give a lot of grief and even though the daimyo has always been a supporter of the Sandaime…you never know what might happen. Danzo's been awfully quiet as of late…especially after this public tongue lashing…I wonder if he has anything to do with this…leak."

Ibiki scoffed.

"Expect the unexpected…look underneath the underneath right Kakashi? There's going to be hell raised at this meeting. I can guarantee it. And if Danzo is involved…treason and elimination."

Footsteps echoed on the floor and the lights flickered off, reflecting once on the woman curled up in a cell. The door clicked shut.

* * *

_Power…is something that all weak people desire. Power…is something that all strong people are addicted to. Power…is what truly powerful people wish they had never had._

_Weak people will tell you how to get power. Strong people will talk of it, but never tell how to achieve it. _

_And those that wield it with precision, those that truly hold command…will show you what power really is._

_That is the most important thing I learned from Itachi._

_A weak man will flaunt in your face, talk until your ears bleed, show you the fruit of their efforts. A strong man will test you, challenge you in an effort to get more._

_A man with power will utterly destroy you._

_Itachi had power._

_And he used every ounce of it to protect me._

_

* * *

_

Naruto sat on the steps on the cabin, looking out into the woods. Itachi was at his side, eyes half closed in a light doze. The blonde haired boy held a small pen and pad, and was scribbling away at the soft paper. Drawing. Naruto's favorite pastime. Besides ramen that is. The blue-eyed boy was sketching the surroundings.

The sun light filtered through the treetops, glancing down in spots on the cabin floor. Small leaves fell from the trees, floating lazily down to the earth below.

Naruto breathed deep, taking in the peace and quiet that was their little getaway. Smiling, he turned to Itachi, almost giggling to himself as he watched a butterfly perch on the sleeping Uchiha's nose. Quickly sketching it down, he giggled aloud.

A twitch. And then another. Naruto's smile widened as Itachi awoke, the butterfly displaced from his nose.

Stretching, the teen glanced around, eyes coming to rest on the small blonde.

"Drawing Naruto?"

The child nodded, pen scratching away.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Naruto nodded and pulled the pad closer to his chest, pouting.

"Fine, fine, later then."

Silence fell over them, except for the scratching of Naruto's pen.

A small snake slithered past the steps.

Flash. Steel. Blood.

Itachi stabbed it through.

His kunai clattered to the floor as he stood.

Naruto looked up in surprise at the sudden movement. He saw the dead snake and turned to Itachi questioningly. The teen just got up, motioning for Naruto to follow him to the back of the cabin.

"Come here Naruto."

The small blonde boy followed, the two of them shuffling their way to the rear. Once there, Itachi knelt, talking to the blonde. He pointed into the forest, a small ways away.

"Naruto…you see that? That small cavern?"

He waited for confirmation. The blue-eyed boy nodded his head.

"…I want you to go there. Now."

The child whipped his head around and Itachi could feel the pain and questions in his eyes.

"Wait…listen Naruto. Something big is about to happen…something dangerous. You need to stay safe. You need to be in the cavern…okay?"

Itachi watched the blonde's lips move and could already see the question.

"Why…?"

He sighed, standing back up.

"Because. That should be enough. It's going to be dangerous…so…"

He looked back at the small blonde, the serious look in his eyes cuing Naruto in.

"No matter what happens…stay there."

The child opened his mouth to protest.

"No buts…please…Naruto. Stay there."

His mouth closed and Naruto stared into the deep black eyes of Itachi. With a silent nod, he turned, walking unsteadily to the small cavern in the distance. Turning back, he looked at the teen and Itachi got the message.

'Come back…please.'

Naruto turned and again walked toward the small opening. Itachi watched him the whole way, holding his breath.

The child soon reached the cave, blonde hair disappearing into the darkness. Itachi released a deep sigh, re-adjusting his breathing. Blinking, the prodigy walked around the cabin and down the steps, feet padding noiselessly on the wood floor. He stepped into the clearing, tensing in anticipation. Stretching a bit, he blinked again, moistening his eyes. He relaxed.

"Come out…I know you're there."

A moment passed and then another, but Itachi stayed wary. Rustling grass caught his attention. Turning to the side, his fears were confirmed.

The foliage parted and a figure emerged, long hakama trailing behind.

Itachi's eyes tightened.

"What do you want…Orochimaru?"

The Sannin grinned.

"So…you remember me Itachi-kun…Always so straight to the point. But I guess there isn't time to waste."

His long tongue slid out, wiggling in the air.

"Shouldn't it be obvious…?"

A long blade slid out from the purple sheath on his back, and the snake summoner grasped it.

"I want your eyes!"

The snake blurred into motion. Itachi jumped back, three shadow clones in his place. They only stalled him for a moment. Orochimaru sliced through, yellow eyes wide with delight.

Itachi kept calm, watching the Sannin approach. His hands flashed into seals, quicker than the eye could follow. Another three clones and after a moment, a massive mud dragon burst from the ground, writhing and roaring. The teen kept moving. Drawing a small scroll from his hip pocket, he unfurled it, swiping his bloody hand across the front.

As his three clones were destroyed, a blade appeared in his hands, sharp black edge glinting in the light.

The earth dragon he had created was soon destroyed in an explosion of water and mud. He stood in the small clearing, watching the steam and smoke clear and the shadow of Orochimaru appeared.

"Kuku…Itachi-kun…so hostile…"

They clashed, dashing from tree to tree, blades spinning, and seeking openings. Itachi hazed, form disappearing and re-appearing.

Orochimaru stared as five forms of the teen Uchiha appeared, the original fading away. Hands quickly flashing into seals, a massive water dragon roared up from the cliff side, sweeping through the underbrush. The five forms burst away leaving only one black clad teen. Glancing back and forth, he parried the shuriken and kunai appearing from thin air and skidded back, feet digging into the dirt. Striking toward Itachi, he watched in amazement as his blade melted in a swirl of heat. Stepping back, wide eyed, he observed his surroundings. Tongue lashing out, he smirked.

Orochimaru flared his chakra and the world melted away.

"That was pretty good…but you need more than a petty illusion to stall me…"

He stared at the Uchiha prodigy, noting his slack posture and calm gaze.

'Still not flustered…kukuku…you're living up to my expectations…'

Flexing his arm, Orochimaru stalked toward the teen, hands forming seals.

"Lets see how you handle this…"

The wind picked up, violently slashing at the surroundings. The form of Itachi blurred into nothing.

"Tsk, tsk Itachi, you can't keep using clones and genjustu, you have to fight me!"

He turned just in time to clash blades with the prodigy.

"Let me see your power Itachi!"

The legendary Kusanagi flashed forward, intent on slicing the Uchiha's head off.

"Show me! Show me the power of your sharingan Ita-"

He felt cold steel, the tip of a blade nicking his tongue, drawing blood. The young prodigy'd voice reached his ears, soft and monotone.

"So be it…"

The Sannin drew back, spitting crimson, a smirk on his features.

"You're fast…"

Three snake summons burst from the ground, intent on tearing the teen to pieces. Itachi's sharingan swirled and his hands blurred. The ground burst open and the heavens opened. Itachi leapt up as a single bolt of lightning fell from a seemingly cloudless sky and pierced the ground. After a moment, the electricity fanned out, spreading rapidly across the earth. From his perch in a tree, Itachi panted, watching the snakes writhe in agony on the ground.

"That body of yours is living up to my expectations…"

Itachi turned, coming face to face with the Sannin, looking into his twin yellow orbs. As Orochimaru's blade thrust forward, he jumped, letting gravity pull him toward the devastated earth. Orochimaru pursued, landing as the prodigy vanished. Looking around, the Sannin's tongue flickered.

"Come out Itachi-kun…"

A few dozen shuriken answered his call. As he brought his blade up to parry, only a few struck, the rest turning into ravens, feathers scattering around him. He stepped back, watching as the feathers merged, three forms of the sharingan wielder surrounding him. Thrusting forward, his blade ran one through, tearing into his flesh. Itachi burst into feathers as the other two leapt into action. From the ground burst a geyser of water, blasting the Sannin into the air.

Orochimaru turned mid-flight, fingers forming seals. Landing, he slammed his hand into the earth and watched as a massive fissure tore through ground, straight toward the two Itachi's. One merely burst into ravens, disappearing into the underbrush as the other fazed out, re-appearing a few feet away.

The Sannin frowned, panting slightly, before flaring his chakra violently. The world melted away.

"More genjustu? I'll admit it was better than the last…"

Immediately he was set upon. The snake parried strikes from another three clones, burying his blade deep into the throat of a fourth. He barely had time to turn before a brace of kunai slammed into the ground he was once standing on. Avoiding the blade, he leant back, smirking as he brought Kusanagi to bear.

"What are you trying so hard for Itachi-kun? Is it …perhaps…?"

The smirk on Orochimaru's face widened.

"He **is** an interesting child…"

Itachi tensed, muscles straining against the snake's blows.

"Kuku, you didn't think I knew he was here…tsk, tsk, Itachi-kun…you should know better than that…"

Three kunai pierced through Orochimaru's skull, tearing away globs of mud. Itachi slid back, away from the clone, his wrist jumping back and forth, moving in a blur as he parried all of the Sannin's attacks.

"…Or maybe I'll just experiment on him…after all, he does hold the Kyuubi, right?"

Orochimaru smirked at the irritation on Itachi's face. So uncharacteristic of the young Uchiha. He pressed on, his tongue twirling out. Their blades clashed, sparks flying.

"Kuku, did I touch a nerve Itachi-kun? Perhaps I'll take the boy and make him my serv-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence as a raging inferno consumed him, bright red-orange hues consuming all in their path.

Itachi watched on from a kneeling position, panting. Gripping his blade he watched a shadow make its way through the flames. His teeth clenched.

Burnt orange faded away and the Sannin stepped out from the firestorm, clothes burnt and singed in places. He glanced back once at the devastated woodland. Itachi's eyes widened.

The skin on Orochimaru's face had begun to peel, leaving a younger look visage for Itachi to see. The prodigy stepped back, the grip on his blade tightening and his sharingan spinning rapidly. Orochimaru merely laughed, ripping the flaking skin from his body.

"Tsk, scared? Kuku…I've perfected it…perfected immortality Uchiha-kun. Something that people have craved since the dawn of time! And that's why I need your body...not just for those lovely eyes!"

The Sannin blurred out of sight, booted foot planting itself into Itachi's face, propelling him through the air.

The grass cutter flashed forward, striking Itachi's face in mid fall, leaving a long gash down the side of his head. Itachi landed on his feet, skidding to a halt, back against the cabin wall. He stayed his hand, fingers itching to wipe the blood from his eyes.

There was a sick grin on Orochimaru's face and the teen Uchiha grimaced, blood dripping from his lips.

"I don't want to hurt your body Itachi…"

The teen said nothing, ducking under a wide kick and leaping to the side just as the ground in front of him exploded, sending dirt and debris flying. Minutes later, the cabin exploded into wood ships and logs. Itachi tucked his head, backpedaling away from the shrapnel. He was breathing hard, blood dripping from his forehead, falling into his crimson eyes. No time to rest. Sparks flew as the two shinobi clashed again. His sharingan whirled.

"…Kukuku your eyes are just so beautiful…it's a shame at this rate I'll have to tear them out of your rotting corpse!"

Itachi leapt forward, blade held low in his hands. It twirled, glinting dully in the light as it sliced forward, intent to kill. The blades met, flashing in and out of existence. The smaller, burnt steel of the teen's blade lowered, slashing and skimming over flesh. Locking with Kusanagi, he pressed his attack, ducking in and out of Orochimaru's guard. The snake sannin had a grin on his face.

"Kukuku, you're just as good as I thought…"

Itachi kept his face blank and kept moving. Moving was the key to success. Orochimaru was just playing…if he stopped moving, it was over. He parried another strike, stumbling back to the tree line. Orochimaru pursued, the grin on his face wide. Itachi sidestepped another attack, sliding back as the snake leapt at him. Pushing out with his free hand, he grasped the Sannin's leg in mid-leap and pulled. Orochimaru's eyes widened and his hand fumbled with Kusanagi. The snake fell past Itachi. The teen pulled his blade up, reversing the grip and thrust back, straight into the chest of the Sannin.

Silence.

Itachi slumped in his place, gasping for air as he leaned on the hilt of his blade.

He was halfway through a turn when soft silky voice whispered in his ear.

"But not as good as me…"

Steel stuck through the heart, the clone behind him exploded.

* * *

Silence.

Naruto heard silence after so, so much noise. A million thoughts raced through his mind and a million questions passed silently across his lips.

'Was…he okay?'

'Would he come back?'

Naruto didn't really know what he would do if he didn't. He stood hesitantly, a hand running through his locks of blonde hair. One step. Two steps.

'No matter what happens…stay there'

But…he wanted to know. Was he alright?

'No matter what happens…stay there'

Three steps. Four steps.

He had to be. His hand gripped the rough side of the cave.

'No matter what happens…stay there'

Five steps. Six steps.

Naruto stepped out from the small cavern, peeking out at the destruction.

Sick yellow eyes stared back at the blonde, an eerie smirk hovering on a twisted face.

* * *

AN: This chap shoulda been out last month. Unexpected circumstances caused me to delay the release (like the lack of internet in my homeland country. just took a trip there). Fewer reviews last chapter leads me to think that my late updates are taking a toll on my readers. And for that, I apologize. Review plz.

Ninja-edit: rant taken down.


	10. Chapter 10

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Blurry

* * *

He tried to open his eyes. He really did. But it hurt so bad.

He could hear his breathing, the slow, raspy inhale and exhale of his strained lungs in the silence. Thump. His heart pumping rather loud in the quiet static of his mind. Thump.

He tried to raise an arm but felt nothing, not even sure if he had moved at all. Everything was numb, like the feeling you got when your limbs fell asleep. It felt like he would just fade, wither away and die. It was cold. And blurry.

Silence. Silence. Silence.

Slowly, Naruto opened one eye.

And cringed as light and pain assaulted his sensitive retinas. His eye watered as he blinked rapidly, adjusting as quick as possible to the sudden changes. His azure orb swiveled in its place, moving back in forth to regain mobility.

Beep. Drip. Beep. Drip.

He struggled to move his head, straining as hard as he could. Everything below his jaw was numb, so he reasoned that no pain was a good thing for now. Letting out a strangled breath, Naruto quit moving. Something was keeping his head in place, supporting it should he even try to move. He gave up.

His lungs pumped diligently, the life giving oxygen spreading throughout his body. Blinking as small drops of water dripped down his cheeks, he stared at the only thing visible to his one eye. The wall. In all its white and blank glory, standing before him like a quiet behemoth.

White. Cold. Unmoving.

Naruto's one eye slowly shut.

And he slept.

He thought he heard voices.

'…fox…'

But he wasn't sure.

'…survive…'

It could've all been a figment of his imagination.

'…maybe…'

An illusion of the highest degree.

'…shari…'

But he didn't know. It was all pretty vague. And at the moment, he didn't really care. His eyes hurt.

Itachi fell back into the peaceful embrace of sleep.

* * *

_I hadn't really thought of what would happen if Orochimaru got to me. I didn't have the slightest worry. Afterall, Itachi would protect me. He would shield me from the blood and the carnage. The death and destruction. The pain. Itachi would do what others had failed to do._

_He would protect me. That's what he said. I trusted him completely._

_When the sounds of fighting stopped, I thought nothing of it. Itachi had won. It was over. It was safe. _

_And I walked out. _

_Yellow slitted eyes. A long tongue, rolling out and swaying side to side. Blood flecked lips morphed into a wide smirk. Peeling skin, half burned, flapping in their charred glory. Bony hands gripping a long blood stained blade._

_Orochimaru the Snake Sannin in all his power. Itachi presumably defeated, possible dead, body laying in the carnage and destruction in the forest. _

_The reality of the situation had hit me then, bowling me over and leaving a sizable imprint in my head._

_I was alone._

_Itachi wasn't coming. For some unknown reason, he'd been beaten. Somehow. And I was left to fend for myself._

_I was alone._

_It was one of the few times in my life that true fear had gripped me and flung me with all its might. I was scared. So very, very scared. Terror was written all over my features. I must have looked like a scared puppy, tense and ready to bolt at any moment. Fear was a strong motivator and in light of the situation at the time, it was the only thing I had._

_The snake must have seen it too, must have seen the fright etched into every nook and cranny of my posture, because the twisted grin on his face grew with each passing moment. _

_At the time, I didn't know of the snake's goals, or his needs or his desires. I didn't know his plans, and how he intended to achieve them. I didn't know what he wanted with Itachi, or me, or why he was even here._

_All I knew then and there was that I was staring death in the face._

_My adrenaline began to pump. Panick set it and a familiar yet unexplainable feeling welled up inside me, coursing through my veins._

_I saw Orochimaru's blade rise and dozens of thoughts rushed through my head._

_The best I could do was play keep away. Against someone like this…against this…this creature, it was clear I had no chance._

_Steel flashed and I watched as blood slung from the tip of the blade. _

_I ran. I ran as fast and as far as I could. And my pain festered inside me. He was supposed to protect me. He was supposed to be there. He wasn't supposed to be like the others. He wasn't supposed to leave me broken and alone._

_Itachi wasn't supposed to fail. Not now, not ever._

_It hurt. It hurt more than the steel tearing through me broken and weary body. More than the hand that slapped me away like a fly. More than the crunch and crack of broken ribs against chakaa enforced kicks. More than the blood pounding through my head as it met with the hilt of merciless blade. More than the splintering of shins. More than the shattering of my jaw._

_More than I thought possible. To know that my last chance at life had been wiped away._

_To know that my life was about to be wiped away._

_Death had never seemed so close before. Never seemed so complete before, even through my blurry vision. And in a moment of lucidity throughout the pain, that familiar feeling welled up within me._

_I saw the snake's blade thrust down._

_The feeling swirled just below my skin. It itched._

_Orochimaru's blade ripped through me._

_My chakra lashed out. _

_A sickening ripping sound met my ears. Blood splattered over my hair, leaking into my eyes. I barely caught the shocked expression stamped on the snake's face._

_A terrifying roaring soaked into my senses._

_Something fell over my mind. Sweet, caressing, basking in warmth. _

_Darkness consumed me._

_

* * *

_

He saw it all happen. He didn't want to see it. Didn't want to acknowledge it. Acknowledge his failure. But he did.

The systematic slaughter.

The thrashing and beating, the shattering of bones and the crunching of mangled limbs.

He was helpless to stop it. He wasn't fast enough. Wasn't strong enough.

He could hear them, echoing through the treetops. They were constant. Every other second. Tearing through the air. The screams of agony as another bone was crushed and more blood was spilt. He staggered, hand leaning up against the trunk of a tree.

He was useless like this.

Red eyes spun.

A small figure held at arms length. A sick smirk. A long twisting tong. A hand clenching tightly around a small crushed throat. A long blade driving straight through the chest of a small broken body. Blue chakra lashing out, fading rapidly with each passing second. A sickening crunch. A limb falling uselessly to the ground in a spray of blood and gore.

A scream. Cold steel wrenching out with a twist. Poised for the kill.

He saw it all. He was too far away. He was useless.

Fear.

Black tomoe spun to a halt.

He blinked slowly.

Anger.

Ebony irises morphed.

Failure.

His right eye bled.

The world exploded into flames.

* * *

The drip of the IV was loud in the silent room.

The windows were open and the screens were ajar. A breeze drifted through, touching lightly on the drawn curtains. The sun lanced down, rays of light illuminating the surroundings in a healthy glow.

Drip. Beep. Drip. Beep.

Itachi was awake. Sitting up in bed, he was calmly taking in his surroundings, one visible eye swiveling in its socket. His right eye was covered, heavy gauze padded lightly over the orb. He was swathed in bandages, long strips covering him in most places. Some were gray, other were white, much like the sterile walls that surrounded him.

No doubt, Itachi was in a hospital.

Leaning back he contemplated in silence for the next few minutes, enjoying the relative quiet. His eye closed. He dozed off into sleep.

The door creaked opened and a uniformed woman walked in quietly, trying not to disturb the occupants. It was no use. Itachi's eye snapped open, black iris analyzing the nurse. Young, mid twenties perhaps. Hadn't worked long here by her posture and motions. She wore a standard white uniform. A loose blouse and a skirt not too long. Both were predictably white. He waited a few moments for her to notice his present state of consciousness.

She didn't. Staring at the ceiling he let out a quiet as the woman bustled around the room, adjusting things here or there. He broke the relative silence.

"Excuse me."

The nurse almost jumped in fright, whirling around with an expression of bewilderment on her face. She locked eyes on Itachi's upright form.

"Y-yes?"

The Uchiha prodigy noticed her stutter and ignored it. Information came first. He raised a hand, making a vague motion with his bandaged limb.

"Where are we?

The woman gave him a look that clearly said 'where do you think'.

"How di-"

The nurse gave him a **look** and Itachi was momentarily startled into silence by the action. For a moment he pondered the meaning. The nurse gave him one last glance before swiftly walking out the door. Itachi had no time to pursue his other questions. So instead, he opted for staring over at the small bed next to him.

He'd been broken first. His trust shattered into tiny little pieces. Itachi had only begun to piece it back together, had only begun to try to make him whole again. Now this. He'd been broken, battered, beaten. Mentally and physically. Torn, dirty, weary and hopeless.

Itachi felt true remorse. True regret.

For not being faster. Not being stronger. Not being smarter. Not being there for him.

His one visible eye watched over the motionless form of Uzumaki Naruto.

The blonde had suffered. More than Itachi could even fathom.

Orochimaru had utterly mauled him. And yet, he had still fought back. He hadn't given up. It was a testament to his will. To his strength.

With a start, Itachi realized one glaringly obvious thing.

Naruto had power. In spades.

And it was one like Itachi had never seen before. One he had never dreamed of being possible. A visible aura of chakra, able to easily sweep aside even the most powerful of foes. Hovering just below the surface of the body, bursting out at a moments notice. A writhing and teaming mass of blue energy, actively bending and shaping to the will of his wielder.

It had wrenched off the Snake Sannin's arm. Brutally tearing it from its socket and dropping it to the ground.

It was a power that needed to be honed and refined, sharpened to an immaculate point. Something like that could not be passed up. Could not be ignored. The blonde needed to learn to use it, to defend and to fight, to bring about the destruction of his foes in a timely manner.

He needed to learn how to use it to protect himself.

The fight with Orochimaru had proved that.

His fingers rose, touching his bandaged right eye.

Without a doubt.

Itachi gazed at the sleeping blonde.

Things had spiraled out of hand faster than he could have imagined. The threat of Orochimaru had been a complete blind side to Itachi, as no one had even so much as heard from the Snake Sannin in years. Their fight had showed him how much strength he still needed to acquire. Even at his level. Even when he could decimate a good portion of Konoha jounin. He still had room for improvement.

The snake was no fool, nor was he a weakling.

A Sannin, trained by the Sandaime, with years of experience under his belt. By no means an easy opponent. He was still a threat. He would be back.

Itachi needed to be better by then. He needed to be able to **crush** Orochimaru, not win by a small margin. He needed to succeed. For him and Naruto.

Shifting, the Uchiha prodigy blinked, his one eye taking in the heavily bandaged form of Naruto. He should've been up by now. Itachi didn't need the predictive qualities of the sharingan to know that the blonde would awaken soon. The healing properties of the Kyuubi no Kitsune were indeed formidable, no doubt they would pull through once again.

Naturally, he was right.

Twenty minutes of silence later, the small blonde child shifted, sleep beginning to lift its spell from his body. He was relaxed a moment or so before he stiffened, foreign environment causing him to tense. He was wary.

Naruto moved, the groaning and aching of and muscles ignored in favor of a more important topic. Two sky blue eyes opened. The name of a certain Uchiha burst from his lips.

"Itachi!"

The child turned, eyes wide.

"Don't worry Naruto, I'm here."

There was silence for a moment, while the blonde just stared at Itachi. Slowly, he opened his mouth, a tentative question barely held back. Itachi motioned for him to go ahead. Naruto paused for a moment and then asked.

"That snake guy…did I…is he…?"

He didn't bother finishing the question. Itachi waited a moment, his response thought out before he gave an easy concise explanation.

"No. Not yet at any rate."

Naruto looked confused. Itachi explained

"You did quite a number on him Naruto. But, he isn't dead. Gone, but not dead."

The blonde still looked confused.

"But…didn't your black flames…didn't they…kill him?"

It was the last thing he remembered seeing. The flickering blaze destroying everything in its path. Itachi absently touched his bandaged right eye.

"No. They were not enough to completely consume him. They managed to get his other arm. Nothing more."

"Oh."

Itachi paused for a moment, considering bringing up a touchy subject.

"Your chakra…"

Naruto flinched, turning his gaze away.

"…is a very dangerous weapon Naruto. Very. You need to learn how to control it, to wield it with precision and ease."

Itachi looked down at the child.

"You need to hone it, sharpen it, until it is a worthy tool, a worthy weapon in your hands."

He continued, watching the expressions on Naruto's face changed with each word. His power needed to be harnessed correctly. It needed to be controlled. If he could not teach Naruto how, then he'd find someone who could. Someone who was willing. Someone he knew wouldn't turn down a chance like this.

"There are ways to learn. People who can teach."

Naruto looked scared.

"But I don't want to be a ninja…I... I don't like ninja…"

He was afraid his statement would offend Itachi, seeing as the Uchiha prodigy was one of the best. But he was afraid of ninja. The had always been a part of his life. Uncomfortable memories of bad places. He didn't want to be one of them. But all his guardian did was stare, face blank.

"Naruto, who said anything about being a ninja?"

The boy looked up, startled.

"You mean…I can do all the stuff you do…without being a ninja?"

Itachi almost smirked. All attention was on him.

"That and much more Naruto. Much, much more. You can wield the skills of a ninja. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to be one. There are many more people who use chakra."

The smirk he was holding in threatened to grace his lips. The blonde looked so excited now. This was definitely going to be worth it.

"That chakra stuff, other people use it? Who are they? Can they summon animals too? And disappear? And use those ninjutsu? And walk on water? And throw kunai and-"

Itachi cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Yes Naruto. Some people can do all of those things. Some, only a few. You'll find out soon enough."

The blonde still had a lot to say, mouth opening and closing endlessly. Itachi massaged his temples, one hand brushing over his eyes.

Moving to stall another onslaught of questions, he placed a hand on Naruto chest, lightly pushing to small boy back onto the bed. He leaned back on his own, relaxing into the mattress and closing his eyes.

"Now rest. We'll talk about it later. Tomorrow we move on."

Naruto eyed Itachi, before he slumped in his white hospital covers.

Sleep sounded good.

* * *

_Itachi was always thinking. Always. It was one of the things I respected so much about him. The wheels in his mind were always turning, always working to find some new development or some advantage he could exploit._

_He was crafty. Intelligent. Manipulative._

_Itachi prized knowledge above all else. Like a shinobi._

_He planned for things well into the future and prepared for them with perfection. He saw deeper than anyone else. Farther than anyone else._

_His plans were centered around me. Around us. His whole goal in life was to see me succeed. To see me reach the top. I went first. He wanted me to become stronger. Wanted me to become powerful. _

_I never intended to let him down. Never intended to fail him. He's the reason I am what I am today. _

_Back then, he led me to new heights, to new levels. Countries I never thought I'd go, we went. Things I'd only heard about in stories, we did. Places only talked of in legends, we explored. Itachi did everything for my sake._

_By being there for me, he'd earned my trust. By trying to protect me, he'd earned my loyalty._

_So when he'd said we needed to leave, I didn't question his judgment._

_It was time for us to disappear he'd said. And we did._

_In time it came to be something we did extraordinarily well._

_

* * *

_

AN: You cannot imagine how much trouble I had with this chapter. I wrote out a few different versions before deciding on the most well polished (and shorter) of the three. I had a hard time deciding on how I should approach it and all and it left me with a pretty bad case of writer's block. I think it turned out alright. As for Itachi's mangekyo sharingan, yes he does have it. As to why he didn't have it before…Shisui wasn't/isn't his best friend in this story. Even if he was, Itachi never had access to clan scrolls this time around. His next form was brought out by excruciating circumstances, i.e. guilt about not protecting Naruto.

In **other** news, looks like anyone with a missing eye has the sharingan. That said, here's hoping that Naruto loses one soon.


	11. Chapter 11

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Storm

* * *

_Life had changed. And I cherished every single second of it. In the years following my departure from Konoha, I learned more that I had ever thought possible and been places most never even knew existed. _

_Itachi had freed me of my chains. Freed me of the stigma of being a demon container. Freed me from the clutches of a blind and prejudiced society._

_I was no longer grounded, no longer trapped and caged. I had spread my wings and flown as high as I could. In the open world, with the knowledge of my container status scattered to the wind, I was my own person. _

_Nearly a decade passed and with each year the taste of freedom became more and more addicting. Never would I go back, I told myself. All I needed was the world outside Konohagakure, the world outside everything that I had come to associate with hate._

_All I knew, all that was important was traveling. Was getting away. With Itachi._

_He taught me more than I will ever be able to grasp. More than I could ever imagine. Wherever we went, Itachi supplemented my knowledge and my training in a way that only he could. From Kaze no Kuni, to the islands of Mizu, to the depths of Kaminari no Kuni and even to the outmost regions of Yuki no Kuni. Itachi took me places and showed me things that most never even dream of. I met the lowliest of politicians, the most idiotic men of power and the smartest beggars. I met monks, some virtuous and some that strayed from their own teachings. I met ninja, some killers and some with the curse of a soft heart. I met real demons. And I met people just like me._

_Suffice to say, traveling with Itachi I grew and matured more than he, I, or anyone else could have fathomed._

_My first visit to Yuki no Kuni had helped that._

_My second sent me hurdling down a path like no other._

_I thought we could take on anyone. That we could handle anything. Even knowing what we were getting into, I still thought it would be simple. Even with the years of training and meditation, the stupidity of my youth still shown through at times. _

_I should have known saving her all those years ago would come back to haunt me._

* * *

The steam rose, lazily drifting past his face as he took a deep breath, feeling the hot moisture enter his lungs. A hand came up, fingers caressing a worn and chipped cup of tea. There was a pause, his hand suspended in mid-air just for a moment, mouth opening to let out a small breath of cool air to flow over his drink. The slightly bitter taste of over boiled green tea met a pair of chafed lips, soothing the torn and tender skin. He sipped, blue eyes drifting up to glance at faded restaurant sign over head.

The man shifted, fingering the long rope of beads hanging across his neck. He listened, hearing the creak of his chair as he stretched his legs. The small building was silent, save for the sound of the howling snow storm outside. His eyes swiveling, he took in the sad sight. Dirty, torn down and broken, the restaurant was barren and lifeless, only a few patrons still loyal to the once prosperous establishment. The tables were cracked and the chairs and breaking into pieces, wood splintering and rotting. The once shiny gleam of ovens and broilers now were a dull, almost rusted metallic gray, the sheen that had once been present lost from the lack of maintenance. The food, when years ago would have been hot and mouthwatering, now resembled gruel, hardly fit to eat.

He shook his head slightly, blonde locks falling across his face. Things had changed. And they were far, far worse that he had anticipated.

His fingers curled tighter around his cup, savoring the warmth that seeped its way into his hand. He'd be out in the cold again soon, moving onto his next destination. Glancing out the window, he noted the blizzard raging. It might be a hard journey, he mused. But only time would tell.

Soft footsteps sounded on the floor and his gaze slowly shifted to the lone approaching waitress. She was carrying a large pot of what he presumed was fresh tea and he nodded slightly in appreciation. He watched her walk and as she stopped near his table and began to pour, a small smile graced his features.

"Thank you miss."

The young girl, barely a teenager, looked up startled, surprise gracing her face.

"It is a privilege, honorable monk!"

The blonde man chuckled a bit, the beads around his neck swaying.

"Not a monk miss, just a wanderer in search of enlightenment. A sage if you will. But perhaps a bit less wise than I should be."

The young girl smiled and nodded, but he could see the slight confusion on her face. She backed up and bowed slightly.

"Never the less sir, it's an honor to have you here. Thank you for your patronage!"

He waved his hand, the smile on his face a bit wider now, outlining faint marks across his cheeks.

"It's an honor to have you serve me. Though the restaurant is a bit different from what I remember."

The girl's head snapped up from her bow.

"You've been here before sir?"

The blonde nodded, taking a sip of his tea. He paused, letting the taste wash over his tongue and down his throat. Putting his cup down on the table without a sound, he chuckled.

"Enough with the sir, it make me feel old! But yes, I have been here. Long ago. Probably when you were just a few years old. Things have definitely changed."

The girl frowned, looking down in embarrassment. She spoke with a low voice.

"Yeah…the restaurant hasn't been doing too well since the economic collapse…"

The man nodded in understanding.

"Ah yes, with the takeover of that Kazahana fellow right? What was his name again? Coto? Hoto?"

The girl giggled, a soft laugh leaving he mouth.

"Doto sir. Doto Kazahana."

The blonde laughed, his eyes lighting up.

"Ahhh, yes, I remember now, Doto. Thank you miss, for explaining that to me."

He smiled, his hand reaching down to grab his tea. He raised it to his lips, feeling the warmth of the liquid. With his other hand he reached into the depths of his cloak, digging about, pulling out a few gold coins.

"For your help gaki."

The girl looked at him with wide eyes, hand reaching out to take the coins uncertainly as she stuttered a thank you. The man chuckled, placing the coins in her shaking hand. Still stuttering she asked if he needed anything else but the man just shook his head, smiling. The young girl nodded, bowed again and ran off, a dazed smile on her face.

The man smiled, watching her go as he sipped his tea again. So sad. The things these people had to live with since the Kazahana coup. It was a shame. A travesty. And his heart broke thinking of the young girl's life. No one should have had to be put through things like that. He knew from experience. He sighed, listening to the silence of the room and somewhere far back into the kitchen; he could hear the young girl's exclamations of happiness.

The wind whirled through the cracks in the walls, casting ripples on the surface of his tea. He shifted, drawing his cloak tighter against his body as he sat a bit straighter in his seat.

Blue eyes glanced out the dirty window, noting the increasing snowfall. Fingers found their way up his chest, to play with the beads dangling in a thick string from his neck. A nervous habit he'd developed over the years. Closing his eyes, the man breathed deep, air filling his lungs. In a slow low breath, he let it out, calming himself. His mind slowed down, the thoughts and emotions racing across it not quite slamming into a damn, but slowing into a quietly flowing stream. He let his mind open, let his senses out…his power.

**He** was coming soon.

He could feel it.

Better late than never he mused.

His breathing was slow and steady and his mind was clean and free. He waited, an elbow propped up against the table as he meditated. He was close. He was sure of it. He opened his eyes, blue irises flashing in the dark.

The door to the restaurant creaked open, gusts of wind and snow blowing through the entrance and onto the floor. A bell chimed.

The young girl ran out from the back room, a greeting on her lips. She neared the hooded man standing in the doorway, offering him a place to sit and something to eat. He must have murmured a low negative, because from his seat on the other side of the room, even in the silence, the blond heard nothing but the girls surprised 'ok' and her footsteps back toward the kitchen.

Silence again. The blonde turned back to his tea. Moments later the man in the hood slid into the seat next to him, bits of snow falling down his robes. There was a pause.

"Naruto."

"Itachi-nii."

The blonde sipped his tea, grabbing another cup to pour the older man some

"Bit late aren't you? Figured you'd be here this morning. Something happen I should know about? Kazahana throwing a fit because he can't figure out who slipped past the border a week ago?"

Itachi said nothing, shrugging slightly to dislodge the snow still caked onto his cloak. Naruto waited, not pressing Itachi for any more information, knowing the older man would tell on his own time. The sharingan wielders hands came to rest on the table, fingers curling around the cup of tea.

"Doto Kazahana already knows we are in his country. He's been increasing security around the region for the past few days."

Naruto's cup stopped halfway to his lips.

"…You're kidding right? How? His scouting and information gathering have never been too sharp. Is that what took you so long?"

Itachi glanced at Naruto, a small frown edging its way onto his face.

"Multiple clones of you were spotted about a day after we broke through the patrols last week by a local farmer. Trying to get into good graces with the local ninja, he reported the incident. They killed him."

Naruto's sharp intake of breath echoed in the silence.

"After they killed him they reported it to their higher ups and eventually it got back to Doto. There aren't many ninja that have striking blue eyes and blonde hair around here. Even with the changes you've gone through in the last years, he put it together fairly quickly."

Naruto let out a low whistle.

"And with what we did last time…Doto wants my head doesn't he?"

Itachi nodded, sipping his tea.

"He's already sent patrols out looking for you. I ran into one of them and one of the ninja in the group recognized me. I had to eliminate them before they became a risk. But even now, more patrols are closing in on this region. If we want to reach our goal, we need to move soon. Doto's forces are already on the move."

Naruto sighed, sipping his now cold tea. Things were not turning out as he planned. But then again, they usually never did. They'd lost the element of surprise and now things would be uphill from here. He closed his eyes and sighed again. The things he did for her.

Naruto rose softly, his chair scraping lightly back against the wood floor. Placing his cup of tea back on the table he glanced at Itachi, who was finishing off his drink.

Itachi glanced at the handful of coins on the table as he stood. Naruto shrugged.

"I know it's a bit much for tea…but they're going to need it."

The older man just nodded and they both stepped toward the door. As they neared the blonde looked back, watching the girl come back out of the kitchen to wish him a safe trip.

"Thank you honorable sage! Have a safe trip!"

He smiled sadly, and nodded goodbye, telling her to take care. Itachi eyed him curiously. Reaching out he grasped the door handle, pulling it open, stepping into the raging blizzard. Itachi followed, only a step or two behind.

The door snapped shut behind them.

"…Honorable sage?"

Naruto's response was lost in a gust of snow and wind.

From the window, if there had been someone watching, they would have seen the two men walk straight into the vicious storm, disappearing into the haze of white.

* * *

Dark and musty and damp and filled with sense of fear and anger.

That was his fortress. Impregnable, indestructible, looming over the surrounding country like a mountain, shrouding everything in a dark shadow.

It was a testament to his power, to his ruthlessness. And the bodies of those who opposed him scattered about in the growing tide of snow, only furthered his image. He had no mercy and no sympathy for those who tried to stand against him. And no guilt for the things he'd done to them.

Doto Kazahana sat on his throne, and watched.

These people, these peasants and beggars just didn't understand. They didn't understand what he was trying to achieve. They should have been happy. His iron grip had drained the country of every last resource, for glory. For his grand army. His goal was far more complicated than anything these fools had ever attempted in their lives. Their "lofty" goals and ambitions were just child's play in comparison to his grand scheme.

He would thrust the world into chaos. And he, at the head of Yuki no Kuni, would be at the forefront.

He shifted on his marble throne, eyes watching his shinobi as they slaughtered the resistance approaching his stronghold.

Doto scoffed. He would remake the world in his image; forge a new empire from the dying embers of the last.

All he needed was the weapon. Doto wasn't stupid. His brother had left more than filled coffers and hints to some "hidden" treasure. There was a secret in Yuki. And he, as his brother's closest advisor had been privy to the information. A monster. A weapon of innumerable power hidden in the depths of Yuki, buried far, far under the snow. With the weapon, he would plunge the world into war. And from that war, he would reap the benefits, watching from afar as they tore themselves asunder. His hand slid over the glinting chakra armor across his chest.

It would be pivotal to his plans. Technology unlike the shinobi nations had ever seen would sweep across the battle field. And they would kill each other off in the hundreds. And then, with the hidden monster and the bulk of his rapidly building army, he would strike the now weak shinobi countries, engulfing the world under his rule.

And to do that, he would need the key.

Yuki Kazahana.

She held the key to his plans. She was the culmination, the climax of everything he had worked to achieve. She would be the catalyst to his reign. And she had no idea. Foolish, stupid little girl. She would watch as he cracked the world into little pieces. She would watch and rue the day that she had crossed him.

She was coming soon, falling right into his hands.

And with her approach, **they** would come too.

He smirked. And then the score would be settled.

His wrist glowed, charka pulsing with a dark light.

Uchiha Itachi and Uzumaki Naruto.

They would both die. As would Hatake Kakashi.

They were coming, like lambs to the slaughter.

Doto threw his head back and laughed, the maniacal glint in his eye clear in the darkness as his mad cackle echoed through the fortress.

* * *

Kakashi sneezed.

'Maa, maa, some pretty girl must be thinking about me!'

He let out a perverted giggle, burying his face deeper into his orange book as he walked.

'I hope it's Yuki-san!'

He giggled again, a light red blush forming on his cheeks.

"Kakashi-senseiiii!"

He looked up, momentarily turning his attention away from the book held fast in his hand. Walking toward him was an irate pink haired kunoichi. Her fists were balled up and her cheeks were red with anger. He looked around, noting that he was already at the docks and in the distance Kakashi could see the large entourage and the third member of their squad standing next to them. Hmm, looked like he was later than he thought.

Turning his attention back to the woman now almost in front of him, Kakashi could see her mouth open and he already knew what was coming. Sliding his favorite book into the pouch onto his hip with a small pout, he stayed the young woman's anger.

"Maa, maa, Sakura. You see there was a small snowstorm and I had to wait until it stopped in order to walk down the road again!"

He eye smiled, internally giving himself a point at Sakura's slack jawed look.

'Hmm, I guess that one actually worked!'

He dodged an incoming fist as a shriek reached his ears.

'Guess not.'

Sakura swung again, barely missing the jounin's head.

"That is the stupidest excuse I've heard! We're not even in Yuki no Kuni yet and it doesn't snow here! It's tropical!"

Kakashi held up his hands in a placating manner.

"Well, it's the thought that counts right?"

Sakure let out frustrated grunt.

"We were supposed to leave two hours ago sensei. Why can't you ever be on time? Even Sasuke is irritated now. And you know his patience."

Kakashi merely waved his hand, walking toward the entourage of people gathered near the docks. He could see the young Uchiha scion and it turned out Sakura was right after all. Even his patience had its limits, judging from the scowl etched across his face.

Tuning out Sakura's incessant complaining, Kakashi began to speak as he neared Sasuke.

"Maa, maa, now if you can't have patience with just your humble sensei, how are my cute little students going to deal with missions as new chuunin? Maybe promoting you was a bad idea…"

He trailed off, noting how Sakura has shut her mouth at the sudden glare Sasuke had given her.

'Ahh…young love.'

As his two students fell back to converse rather one-sidedly, he approached Yuki's entourage. As he neared, the director separated himself from the crowd, the captain and pilot of the private ship trailing close behind him.

"Kakashi! Thank goodness you're here! Ah, a bit late though aren't you?"

The silver haired jounin merely shrugged.

"A hail storm hit me a while ago and I had to get shelter from the ice."

There was a pause, both the director and the captain drawing blanks, bewildered looks plastered on their faces. With a light cough, the director broke the awkward silence with a laugh.

"Haha! Well, now that you're here and your students are all prepared, we're ready to make the voyage!"

Turning away he called to the entourage, a large smile on his face.

"Someone grab Yuki-san from the trailer! We're setting sail in just moment! All aboard! A new adventure awaits! Lights, camera, action!"

A halfhearted cheer was his response as the rest of the movie crew moved to follow his commands. Turning back to Kakashi, the jounin noted his smile was a bit less enthusiastic.

"Well Kakashi, the princess and her caretaker should be along soon, would you and your students care to take a tour of the ship with me?"

Before the jounin could form a response, Sakura leapt forward, her hand grasping Sasuke's arm.

"Yes, oh of course! It's such a lovely ship! Thank you for the offer!"

The two were quickly led off by the director, eager to have someone so deeply interested in his affairs, leaving Kakashi standing at the entrance of the docks, left in his own thoughts. He watched them walk away, mind quickly turning to the journey ahead.

'Yuki… It's not a coincidence. Something is brewing… And if she's going…'

Kakashi walked, hand snaking back into the pouch on his hip.

'…He'll be there too.'

He buried his nose back in his book.

'I wonder… Naruto, how much have you grown?'

* * *

**AN:** Holy sh!t. I updated. It's been exactly two years since I last updated this story. Two years. Damn I suck. I hope I still have readers and fans of this story. I offer no excuses to my poor, poor behavior and I hesitantly (as I think you all might kill me) ask for you all to review. I feel really, really, really bad and I'm so damn sorry. Here's hoping that my next update is sooner than two years.

On a side note, here's a quick timeline of events based on Naruto's age.

**Age Nine-** Naruto and Itachi flee Konohagakure no Sato

**Age Ten-** Naruto and Itachi enter Yuki no Kuni (Country of Snow)

**Age Twelve-** The first Snow Country Monk since the last Shinobi War is seen in Hi no Kuni

The Daimyo of Yuki no Kuni is assassinated in a coup. Doto Kazahana takes power.

Yuki Kazahana flees the country with the aid of Hatake Kakashi

Naruto and Itachi leave Yuki no Kuni

**Age Fourteen-** The Twelve Fire Guardians, with the Daimyos approval, induct a new member into their ranks.

Uchiha Itachi is spotted on the border of Hi no Kuni and Kaze no Kuni

**Age Seventeen-** A large part of Kaminari no Kuni is decimated in what is reported as a "military maneuver"

The existence of Kumo's two Jinchuruuki is revealed.

**Age Eighteen-** Yukie Fujikaze, the most famous actress in Hi no Kuni, begins to film a movie. The director decides the set is to be in Yuki no Kuni

Team Kakashi is hired to escort the actress and her entourage.

Doto Kazahana puts his country on lockdown.

Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Itachi slip through the border of Yuki no Kuni.


	12. Chapter 12

Chemical Substance

Disclaimer: Never owned 'Naruto', never will…

* * *

Snow

* * *

_I remember jumping. And the snow cascading around me. My feet blurring in a haze. And the sound of death rushing through the air. I remember clenching my fingers. And the air __**bending**__ to my will, the wind howling in my ears._

_Ruby red splattering across an endless carpet of white, seeping in, small tendrils of blood threading their way across the ground like paint across a canvas. The sound of silence echoing in the stillness that followed. _

_I remember it all._

_How the rest gaped at me, wide eyed as my arms trembled with power. How they stood listless, weapons held still as they eyed the bloody remains of their comrades. How the fear was etched onto their faces._

_And how I subsequently ripped through them, staining the forest floor with crimson. The wind roaring around me all the while._

_They stood in between me and her. And Itachi had taught me to eliminate obstacles with extreme prejudice._

_So I had; the air almost alive as chakra poured from my fingertips. The first died in a shower of kunai, moving too fast for the eye to follow, a blue haze tailing them right through an eye socket and deep into the trunk of a tree. A blade of wind rent through the next three, tearing their limbs asunder. One had tried after that. He really had. His hands had come up, a jutsu on the cusp of being created. And then the snow around him surged with power. And I recall watching as his eyes widened in surprise, his head turning just a bit before a tsunami of snow crashed down upon him like an enraged god._

_Silence._

_In the span of a few minutes, two squads wiped out. The last one died as my hand impacted her chest, chakra cutting the electricity to her heart._

"…_monster…" _

_I can still hear the whisper; can still see the shock and the horror on her face. I was twelve years old then. And some things still hadn't changed. I can remember staring at her, not understanding why. Why was __**I**__ a monster? Why me and not __**her**__? Why me and not __**any**__ of the seven other shinobi I'd killed?_

_I can still feel Itachi's hand resting on my shoulder and I recollect how I jumped in surprise. I can still see him looking around, blood flecked across his face, eyeing the dead bodies. I can still see the look he gave me, as if he was staring right through me, right into me. I can still see how he nodded, how his hand gripped tighter on my young, bony shoulder, and how he turned me around. And we walked, our foot prints fading with every passing second, prayer beads swinging across our chests._

_Monster. She'd been close. Almost spot on. I wasn't a monster, but the Kyuubi was. It could petrify a forest with just a glance, summon twisters with a flick of its tail, call down lightning at a whim, create tidal waves with just a light breath, shake the earth with merely a step, rip apart the world with a quick movement and burn all creation with just a thought. _

_I could only do a fraction of that._

_After all, Kakashi didn't fight off a country of Snow ninja, avoid a bloody coup, and still manage to escape with Princess Kazahana all by himself, now did he?_

* * *

The ground exploded, snow flinging into the air. Wood shattered, splinters embedding themselves in bodies, tearing through flesh and bone. Fire roared and the chirping of a blade of lightning sounded in the background. There were screams and laughter and the crackle of electricity and the smell of blood.

And he watched it all. There was this curious ringing in his ears, so he thought. And everything that he was seeing, everything he was watching, just like a movie, sounded so far away. Like white noise. Like static. Like he had earplugs in. He felt numb and he tried to raise his hand, but it wouldn't move. He shrugged, or tried to, as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

Why were people running? Who were these people and what were those hand signs? He could see a flash of silver hair and a red, swirling eye. Kakashi. That was right. Kakashi. He was a ninja. These were ninja.

A water dragon barreled into the ground a dozen feet away from him, droplets raining down onto his face, but he didn't feel them. His vision looked a little blurry, he mused, as he watched a young, pink haired girl lose her footing and fall into the snow. She looked a bit familiar. But he couldn't connect her face to a name. Everything was so blurry.

'It must be the glasses', he thought to himself.

The man tried again to raise his hand, to fix his glasses, to rub some fog off of the lenses. But he couldn't and a phantom pain slowly began to creep up his arm. 'I can feel', he thought, surprised. It was this sudden, unexpected feeling that caused the man to look down. And when he did, he beheld the bloody stump that was what remained of his hand.

'I've lost my hand…'

His fingers were scattered over the snow, the flesh having been flayed off, bones broken and shattered.

'What am I going to do…?'

His eyes moved from the remains of his hand to his chest. Blood was seeping through his shirt, soaking into his clothes and dripping down his skin.

'It's going to stain', he thought, blinking. His eyes wandered over the bits of brown that were sticking out of his chest, wondering what they were, but knowing they were ruining his shirt. He'd buy a new one when this was all over. It'd be expensive, after all, silk usually was. But when this movie was over, he'd be able to afford it. He was going to be rich!

He tilted his head to the side, watching as a black haired boy backpedalled, avoiding a furious rain of blows from a white clad man. The young boy's eyes too, were swirling red and the frustration on his face was apparent even with his failing vision.

'I hope we're filming this', he mused, 'it would be an award winning action scene.'

Lightning crackled near his head and snow was kicked up onto his back. The man paid it no heed, watching as the wagon in front of him burst into a ball of flames. He could see Kakashi burst out from the wreckage, bloody and worn, with a woman in his arms, clutching his chest for dear life.

'Ahh…and the hero saves the day and gets the girl.'

He watched the silver haired man dodge a fist that plowed into the ground, churning up snow. He was yelling to the two younger ninja, who were barely holding off the people that were bearing down upon them. He couldn't make out their faces; the fog on his glasses was getting thicker. They were running now, beating a hasty retreat as the boy grabbed a hold of the young woman in Kakashi's arms. The older ninja was turning now, to face the half dozen men heading his direction. The frost on his glasses thickened and he blinked, a feeling of lightheadedness suddenly hitting him.

'I hope they finish soon, I really want to get out of here', he thought as he coughed. The man didn't notice the blood that flecked his lips, trailing down his chin.

'It's getting really cold…'

The pink haired girl was heading his direction and in the background he could hear something crackling and crunching. He could see the girls head snap to his direction. And she was mouthing something now. What was it? He couldn't hear her and the frost was too much for him to be able to read her lips. He coughed again and for a second he could feel pain wrack his body. Now that was weird.

The girl was running toward him.

'Finally', he thought, 'I can get out of here.'

He blinked again, his eyes becoming heavy.

'I really, really hope they got this on tape.'

The fog was getting thicker. And the girl was getting closer. And the man's lids started to droop just a tiny bit more.

"I'm really tired', he realized.

The girl was a few feet away but the frost was so thick on his glasses that he couldn't see now.

'I can rest a bit…right?'

The man closed his eyes and for a brief moment, he stopped worrying. Stopped worrying about his shirt, stopped worrying about filming and stopped worrying about being tired.

The world exploded around him. But it wouldn't have mattered anyways. Because by then the frost on his glasses was just a bit too thick. And by then the sounds were just a bit too far away. And by then, the blood the stained his shirt just a little too much.

* * *

Sakura screamed, lunging forward, her foot stepping down on a pair of cracked, worn glasses.

"Director-san!"

She didn't make it in time. The man that had been flung against the cliff side, only dozens of feet away, fell. The wall of rock he'd been propped up against exploded, speeding his descent, showering Sakura with rubble and snow. She kept running, chakra barely keeping her feet stuck to the snow as she skidded to a halt.

The pink haired girl let out a strangled gasp as she watched the man's body tumble into the ravine below.

"Sakura!"

Her head whipped around, tearing her gaze away from the never ending fall. Sasuke was running toward open snow, past where Kakashi was holding off the other ninja. The gash running across his chest was leaking blood, red liquid dripping down onto his pants.

"Sakura! Hurry!"

The girl nodded, spinning around, her eyes glancing once more into the endless darkness of the ravine, before focusing on the figure of Sasuke in the distance. 'Don't cry', she told herself. She blinked back tears that were threatening to blur her vision. 'You still have a job to do.'

Green eyes swiveled across the battlefield, noting now that there were four Kakashi's; each one doing its part to hold back the oncoming Snow ninja. There were more, coming out of the surroundings and the gaping tunnel entrance in the distance like cockroaches. The chirping of Kakashi's raikiri could be heard above the roar of high powered ninjutsu.

She glanced at Sasuke as she ran, noting how the blood was seeping through the clothes on his chest. He was grimacing, adjusting to the weight of Yukie, or Princess Yukie now that they'd found out, whose arms were clutching his shoulders for dear life. Deep within her, Sakura crushed a lingering feeling of jealousy as she channeled chakra to her legs, speeding her sprint.

'Useless twit!' screamed her inner voice. Sakura viciously smothered that thought before it had to chance to make itself known. She joined Sasuke in their dash for freedom, lagging a few paces behind him. Blood red eyes faded into charcoal black and the young Uchiha took a deep breath.

"We've been ambushed, obviously. It's all a set up."

They were dashing through the snow now, rounding a bend, the sound of Kakashi's fight fading into the background.

"Kakashi-sensei is buying us time. And we don't know how much of this mission has been a trap. He's advised us to approach everything with extreme caution and to find a safe place to hole up for the rest of the day."

Sasuke said the last words with a puff of breath, drawing another as he shifted to accommodate Princess Yukie's form. The woman was listening in on their conversation, eyes half lidded as she took in what the two young ninja were saying. Sakura eyed her, frowning, brow furrowed as she began to speak.

"But what about sensei…? Where is he going to meet us?" she asked, a bit of worry leaking into her voice. Her teammate took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. He opened his mouth, words on the tip of his tongue, before his lips touched, snapping shut. Sakura noticed this all and the worry blossoming in her stomach increased tenfold. Yukie's eyes were a bit wider now and Sakura could tell she was listening intently.

"Sasuke-kun…? What about Kakashi-sensei…?" she asked.

The silence between the two teammates seem to drag on forever. They were running farther down the path, deeper into Snow country, their chakra enhanced legs pulling them further and further into the unknown. Seconds passed. And then minutes. Five. Then ten. And they traveled more and more and more.

"Sas-"

The Uchiha scion interrupted her, his usual monotone voice tinted with a bit of…fear? Sakura couldn't place it. Maybe it was worry. She couldn't tell, because it wasn't often she heard it coming from the black haired boy's mouth.

"Kakashi-sensei's orders…were to rendezvous with him at the port we landed in, in four days. If he isn't there on the morning of the fourth day…"

He paused as if unsure if he should continue. The pink haired girl saw Yukie start, but the woman stayed quiet. 'Good', she thought. 'You got us into this in the first place; I don't want to hear what you have to say.' Dread was gripping Sakura's heart now and suddenly she was finding it a bit hard to breath.

"What Sasuke…? What do we do then?" she said.

The boy looked away. They were running amid the woods now, snow covered trees eerie in their silence. His voice was low, almost a whisper.

"We board the first ship bound for Fire Country and leave Sensei as MIA."

A pregnant silence followed his statement.

"…You're kidding. There's no way he said that. There's no way we can just leave him!"

"Sakura, those were his orde-"

Sakura had thrown caution to the wind, her emotions getting the best of her as she verbally tore into Sasuke.

"We CAN'T leave him there! After everything he's done for **us**? After everything he's done for **you**?"

They'd stopped, feet buried deep in the snow. Sakura was almost screaming now, her voice rising higher and higher. And Sasuke was recoiling, looking away as if Sakura's words had physically slapped him. It was a jab, a low one, ever for her. The two young ninja, ironically, owed their sanity to the slightly insane copy nin, who had taught them almost everything. Kakashi had taken his two young genin in when they'd had nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to. Kakashi had given Sasuke the semblance of a stable home where his mother could not, sheltering him from the power hungry nobles and the politics of Konoha. Sakura, having never had a strong male role model in her life, was more attached to the silver haired jounin that any subordinate could be to their commander. Kakashi had taken the role of guardian to the fatherless girl, taken the role of protector until she was ready to protect herself.

Hearing that the only father figure she could remember having was on the brink of being left behind, was very, very disconcerting. Hearing that her own teammate, who was as good as Kakashi's own son, was planning on leaving him behind, made her furious.

Sakura was staring at him.

"He told us to leave… So what? Aren't those who abandon their friends trash? How can you just follow protocol and leave him behind like that? How can you just throw everything he taught us out the window like that? Doesn't he mean anything to you…?"

Her last words came as a whisper. She was looking at him now, fury and sadness and desperation hovering quite obviously amid a gaze filled with accusations. Sasuke took a deep breath, not looking at Sakura as he shifted more to hold Yukie on his back. The snow princess was silent, watching the exchange between the two ninja.

"Our mission parameters have changed…"

Sakura opened her mouth to interrupt the boy but he cut her off quickly.

"…We have more than one responsibility now Sakura. We have a client to protect", he motioned to Yukie, "…and we have to escape and evade. I'm confident Kakashi-sensei can handle things on his own. We owe it to him to make it out of here alive. He wouldn't want us to go back and risk our lives like that. Don't you remember how mad he was when we went back for him against Zabuza?"

Sakura stared at him incredulously, mouth slightly ajar.

"…Are you serious? That was different, we were gen-"

"And we're just chuunin now! There are enemies and technology we stand no chance against back there Sakura! Don't you get that?" yelled Sasuke, his voice rising uncharacteristically. He was staring at her, cold gaze boring into her own. "If we go back, we'll just be in Kakashi's way. That will completely undermine what he's done to buy us time. He's an S class ninja Sakura. He knows what he's doing. Some of those ninja back there…they're close to Kakashi's level. I know I can't fight them, not at this level."

He left the rest of his words unsaid. 'Neither can you Sakura…'

Sakura's mouth snapped shut and Sasuke could see her teeth grit in frustration. The young Uchiha turned, taking her silence as acknowledgement. Hoisting a silent Yukie on his back, he prepared to move on.

"Now that we've decided, we sh-"

"I'm going back."

The ferocity in her words left no doubt about her intentions in Sasuke's mind. He could hear her fastening her gloves and checking her kunai and shuriken pouches.

"I'm going...alone if I have to. I know what I'm doing is the** right** thing to do."

Sakura looked at the half turned figure of Sasuke, the princess latched onto his back. She pushed the anger bubbling up down into the depths of her brain, bringing only steely resolve to the forefront on her mind.

"Are you coming to get sensei with me?"

Silence. One moment. Two.

"Fine. That's it then."

There was silence. A rustle of clothing. And then more silence. A minute passed. And when Sasuke opened his eyes and turned to look at the figure of his pink haired teammate, he found only rapidly fading footsteps in the snow.

'…'

* * *

A train was coming. A fucking train.

'Shit!'

Inwardly, Kakashi cursed his luck.

It was barreling right by him, slinging snow and kunai into the air as it roared down the tracks, its wheels screeching against the long rusted steel. His feet moved, body twisting as the small blades of modified kunai whistled past him, embedding themselves into the bodies of a failed rag tag resistance. Kakashi fingers moved in long practiced signs, twisting and turning into different shapes as he forced his body to move faster.

A towering dragon made of snow crushed his shadow clone mercilessly into the ground as he finished his jutsu, hands ending on a single half sign. As he did the ground beneath him came alive, the earth tearing and thrashing as massive spikes of dirt pierced through the bodies of Snow ninja, tearing their bodies in half, blood splattering across a carpet of dirty white. As his technique wreaked its havoc, Kakashi planted into the snow, pushing off as his one hand flashed into his back pouch, shuriken leaving his fingers and flying through the air.

The silver haired man's fingers molded chakra, flashing through more hand signs as he dashed alongside the train. The ninja behind gave chase.

'It has to slow down…' he thought, 'or it'll catch up to them.'

Drawing chakra into his body, Kakashi flickered dozens of feet in front of the train. He stared down the approaching behemoth, slamming his palm into the ground, power ribboning out from hand. The earth roared again, creaking and crumbling as a wall of solid, packed mud rose from ground, shooting high into the air.

The train impacted the wall of earth with a crunch and Kakashi's eyes widened as his barrier began to fall

'Chakra powered train…?'

He leapt aside just in time. The wall of mud and earth shattered as the train plowed through it, hurdling down the tracks.

His sharingan swirled as it drew chakra from his body, black tomoe taking in the whole battle field, analyzing the passing train. It was nigh unstoppable. And with the many, ninja coming from **everywhere**, Kakashi didn't have time to sit down and pick apart its weaknesses. The battle was moving too fast and Kakashi felt like he couldn't keep track of everything, and with his chakra quickly diminishing and no reinforcement in the foreseeable future, even with his sharingan, things could only get worse. The little resistance that had shown up momentarily before the train, intent on doing battle with their antique katana and their dusty armor, had all been slaughtered, their carcasses dangling and broken, littering the snow banks.

It had all been a set up.

They'd been drawn here by Doto. All of them. And he'd fallen for the trap so easily.

Kakashi dodge a chakra powered, armor clad fist as it swung toward his head, hand easily pawing a kunai across the ninja's throat. As blood sprayed, the jounin eyed the ninja that were slowly forcing him against the snow banks.

Things were spiraling out of control. Kakashi could only hope that his students had gotten away safe and not done something stupid like come back for him. The legendary ninja dodged a hail of kunai, pivoting out of the way of another ninja's blade. He grabbed the man's arm, thrusting his own blade up and into his chin, throwing the now dead ninja's body into one of his comrades.

The snow swirled around him, his feet kicking up tufts of white. More were coming. It was like an endless tide, wave after wave after wave of ninja coming after him and him alone. Kakashi thrust his hand down, chakra crackling around his fist as his sharingan swirled madly.

"RaiKIRI!"

His sharingan eye swiveled as blood splattered over his face. Lightning hummed with power as it tore through a body and then another, and another, and another. Ten.

The sharingan rolled, black tomoe slowing to a halt. A flash of blue swiped the head of a Snow ninja from his shoulders, crimson liquid splashing across the snow. Thirteen.

The tomoe sped up, their spin going faster and faster. The lightning died as a dragon of water burst from the ground, twisting its way through the air before devouring the bodies of snow ninja. Twenty.

The tomoe spun, black mixing with red as sweat dripped down and into the eyeball. A kunai drew across an unprotected neck, spraying blood into air as the sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the air. Twenty two.

A head band slipped, half covering, half exposing a hideous scar across a left eye. Feet planted into the ground, a kunai lunged into a leg, a set of lungs drew in a harsh breath and a river of mud flowed across the earth. Twenty seven.

An eye blinked and a blue haze faded. A shuriken pierced a shoulder; a blade tore a muscle and blood spilled across the snow. A man fell to one knee and a sharingan slowed its spin to a halt.

Lightening chakra crackled one last time. Twenty nine.

Crimson sharingan twisted. A single eye bled.

And the snow was cast into a world of black fire.

'…Itachi…?'

* * *

_Team Seven. A worn out, young jounin and two mentally screwed teenagers. It seemed like something was missing from the group, but I could never put my finger on it. _

_My first encounter with the two younger members of Team Seven…to say the least, was a memorable one. The girl didn't recognize me. Didn't find my face even remotely familiar from all the times she'd called me names and all the times her and her friends has shunned me. How could she? I'd been the phantom in Konoha, the person that the people wished would just fade away if they ignored him enough. A little girl, barely able to do things on her own, wouldn't remember faces, or people, much less what'd she'd done to them._

_Of course seeing them had surprised me. How could it not? Our informants had told us that Yukie was traveling on her own and they had never mentioned that a team from Konoha had been hired to protect her. Kakashi was a legend in the shinobi world, so I highly doubted that __**that **__little detail had been missed on accident. But by the time we'd realized it was a set-up, by the time we realized that our information and our movements had been compromised, it had been far too late._

_By then we'd lunged headfirst into this campaign. And by then I'd already saved Haruno Sakura twice. And by then her teammate had laid cold, dark eyes on me._

_Uchiha Sasuke. _

_The last remaining male Uchiha in Konoha after the massacre._

_Sometime I wondered how he'd dealt with it. How did he handle not having anyone, save for his mother? How did he handle knowing that everything he'd known, everything he'd come to be comfortable with in life, was gone? How did he cope with something like that? Sometime I wondered, rarely, but it still happened._

_Uzumaki Naruto._

_Me. _

_I'd inadvertently caused the death of his entire clan. In the span of a night, his entire family was broken, shattered beyond repair. Father dead, mother insane, brother a traitor. Turned traitor all for a lonely blonde haired boy who just wanted someone to love him. In a night, Uchiha Sasuke's life had been ripped apart, piece by piece. I'd been responsible for that. It was no wonder he hated me. _

_I'd later find out that Uchiha Sasuke's dream, no, ambition, was to kill two people. To kill the two people he thought responsible for the extermination of his clan. Me, Uzumaki Naruto. And his own brother, Uchiha Itachi._

_I never found out exactly how he knew that I was involved. After all, the Sandaime had kept things under wraps ridiculously well. Someone had probably pulled some strings for the last 'sane' Uchiha. _

_I wish I'd known that before I saved his life._

_But…by then it'd been out of my hands. _

_So it goes._

* * *

Droplets of blood cascaded into the air.

Sakura was out cold. Had been out cold. The snow ninja that had followed were dead and Princess Yukie was hiding in the tree line. But there was a train. And Sasuke wasn't sure what to do when faced with this mechanical monstrosity. He was slowly being torn apart. They weren't fast enough to escape and the train was all but impenetrable. The bloody stains across his chest and the stab wounds littered across his body weren't lending a hand to his condition either.

Sasuke took three kunai to the chest, wincing as they impacted him with a deep thud. He pulled one out, blood spraying across his face as he struggled to parry another incoming volley of high speed projectiles. Three more punched into his skin, severing the tendons in his right arm. He bit his lip, not letting the scream of pain tear from his throat. Sasuke rolled across the snow, struggling to get to his feet as more and more kunai pounded into the ground near him.

'Shit.'

Another kunai tore through his side and this time he couldn't keep the cry of pain inside. He fell, body buckling under the pain as he tried to move.

Another kunai to the left shoulder.

Another kunai to the right thigh.

This was it.

A flurry of kunai aimed straight for his eyes.

Snow spiraled from the ground.

Rising in waves, looming high from the earth to intercept the hail of kunai shrieking through the air, the snow twisted and turned as if having a sentience of its own. Crumpled against the ground, the young Uchiha opened his eyes wide and with his still activated sharingan could see blue and green chakra lacing the packed ice, running across its surface like an electric current. He stared, as if in amazement as the chakra swirled and gave the snow life, gave the snow shape and durability and elasticity.

More and more volleys of kunai raced through the air, but the densely packed snow intercepted them all, stopping their flight.

And in his awe and silence and the roar of snow, Sasuke barely heard the whisper near his ear.

"…Run."

Starting, he did as told, unsure of why or how his body was hobbling away. But as he did, he felt the ground beneath him shake and it sort of reminded him of a mini earthquake.

Behind him, the earth cracked open, a great chasm splitting down the middle of the tracks behind the train. Sasuke whirled around, wide eyed, just in time to see the train begin to dip, unaware of the massive ravine that was now being carved into the earth. It was slipping farther and farther into the chasm and Sasuke could only watch, bewildered at the sudden appearance of the split in the earth.

"Sasuke!"

That was Sakura's voice. The young Uchiha whipped his head around and saw the pink haired girl at the edge of the treeline.

Sasuke didn't know when she'd woken up, but he'd guessed it was when the mysterious person who'd moved him out of harm's way had appeared. But she had the princess with her and she was yelling at him, telling him to escape with her. Part of him wanted to stay, wanted to confront the mysterious man (he had no doubt it was a man) who had singlehandedly ripped apart the earth to stop an unstoppable train. But the other part of him, a more powerful, more emotional part, the part hidden deep down in his heart told him to run, told him to flee from such an obvious display of force.

So he did. Scrambling and stumbling away from the wreck of the train, Sasuke bathed in the glow of green healing chakra emitting from Sakura's hand. She was rushing him through the trees, Princess Yukie ever silent on her back instead of his. Sasuke stumbled, training to regain a better use of his legs as green chakra soothed his pain. They jogged at first and then broke into a run, leaving the battlefield behind them.

As they fled, Sasuke looked back. And when he did, scarlet eyes caught a glimpse of blonde hair, deep, etched whisker marks and a set of swinging prayer beads amid the snow. He almost stumbled as he ran, eyes fixed on a face that looked so oddly familiar.

"Sasuke, hurry!"

Sakura was pulling his hand and Sasuke's gaze shifted forward. Pushing his legs to catch up with her, he righted himself to look back once more, to catch a glimpse, to make sure he wasn't crazy. But the blonde hair and swinging prayer beads of a man in flowing robes was long gone.

"Sasuke! Hurry, it's going to explode!"

The boy tore his gaze away, not questioning how she knew it would.

They ran.

And behind them there was a scream, punctuated by a bloody gurgle. And then there was another scream and another. And then silence reigned. And as the two young ninja sprinted away from the wreckage, away from the ticking time bomb that was the chakra powered train, they had to resist the urge to stop and turn around, to find out what the hell had just happened. They ran, faster and faster and faster.

And the ground quaked and rumbled, and the two ninja pushed chakra to their legs, bracing themselves as they ran.

The train exploded in a shower of molten fire and twisted, melted metal. And the earth shook with the explosion, rocking as the chakra stored in the train's engine imploded upon itself.

The shockwave ripped by them.

And as curious as they were to look back, they kept running, stopping only when the light had faded from the sky and inky blackness had worked its way across heaven. But even when night had fallen, Uchiha Sasuke still thought of an angular face, blonde hair and prayer beads hanging loosely from a collared neck.

* * *

A robe brushed against blackened snow. A hand fiddled with a string of prayer beads, fingers fumbling over each orb.

Uzumaki Naruto crouched low, eyes scanning the now silent battlefield. Snow ninja bodies littered the ground and the remnants of the train smoked in his home made ravine. Blue eyes looked up to the overcast sky and the blonde let out a long breath.

What the hell had gone wrong?

Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke. They sure as hell weren't supposed to be in Snow Country. Much less led by one Hatake Kakashi. This was like a goddamn reunion from six years ago.

'Doto…you son of a bitch. What are you planning?'

Something was going on. And a whisper in the back of Naruto's head told him this was all a very elaborate trap. And he was inclined to agree, now that he'd discovered the rest of Team Seven fighting for their lives to protect Yukie. But they couldn't back out now. It wasn't just Yukie's life on the line. Something was brewing. To make things worse, this false intelligence that had nearly led them into a trap was from someone he **trusted**. And that alone was enough to make him worry.

Naruto lips twitched, hand trailing in the snow beneath him, a small frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He spoke to nothing, his whisper loud amid the smoldering train wreck.

"…Itachi won't be pleased about this."

* * *

**AN**: Update! Holla! I think this chapter went fairly well, even though it feels like some scenes end a bit abruptly. A bit Team Seven centric I suppose, but I promise you'll be getting much, much more Naruto in the coming chapters. I'm also wondering what you all think Naruto has actually been trained to do, since I haven't heard much in the way of theory from reviews. Anyways, I look forward to lots of feedback and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. So, good, bad, just eh? Tell me.


End file.
